
a ass ; ■ ; 



Book, 



«-R„ 



c .: 



pro 









LEGENDS 






CHARLEMAGNE; 



OR 



ROMANCE OF THE MIDDLE AGES. 



By THOMAS BULFINCH. 



ADTHOR OF "THE AGE OF FABLE," "THE AGE OF CHIVALRY," ETC. 



" How African with all his northern powers 
Besieged Albracca, as romances tell ; 
The city of Galaphron, from thence to win 
The fairest of her sex, Angelica, 
His daughter, loved of many prowest knights, 
Both paynim, and the peers of Charlemain." 

Paradise Regained. 



BOSTON: 

J. E. TILTON AND COMPANY, 

161 Washington Street. 

1864. 







Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1862, by 

Thomas Bulfixch, 

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. 






University Press: 

Welch, Bigelow, and Company, 

Cambridge. 



V 



Preface 



BESIDES the education which schools and colleges 
impart, there is still another kind necessary to 
completeness. It is that which has for its object a 
knowledge of polite literature. In the intercourse of 
polished society a young person will more frequently 
need an acquaintance with the creations of fancy than 
with the discoveries of science or the speculations of 
philosophy. 

In an age when intellectual darkness enveloped West- 
ern Europe, a constellation of brilliant writers arose in 
Italy. Of these, Pulci (born in 1431), Euiardo (1434), 
and Ariosto (1474) took for their subjects the romantic 
fables which had for many ages been transmitted in 
the lays of bards and the legends of monkish chroni- 
clers. These fables they arranged in order, adorned 
with the embellishments of fancy, amplified from their 
own invention, and stamped with immortality. It may 
safely be asserted, that as long as civilization shall en- 



IV PREFACE. 

dure, these productions will retain their place among 
the most cherished creations of human genius. 

In two previous works, "The Age of Fable" and' 
"The Age of Chivalry," the author of this volume has 
endeavored to supply to the modern reader such knowl- 
edge of the fables of classical and medieval literature 
as is needed to render intelligible the allusions which 
occur in reading and conversation. This volume is in- 
tended to carry out the same design. Like its prede- 
cessors, it aspires to a higher character than that of a 
work of mere amusement. It claims to be useful, in 
acquainting its readers with the subjects of the works 
of the great poets of Italy. Some knowledge of these 
is expected of every well-educated young person. 

In reading these romances, we cannot fail to observe 
how the primitive inventions have been used, again and 
again, by successive generations of fabulists. The Siren 
of Ulysses is the prototype of the Siren of Orlando, and 
the character of Circe reappears in Alcina. The foun- 
tains of Love and Hatred may be traced to the story 
of Cupid and Psyche ; and similar effects produced by 
a magic draught appear in the tale of Tristram and 
Isoude, and, substituting a flower for the draught, in 
Shakespeare's "Midsummer Night's Dream." There are 
many other instances of the same kind which the reader 
will recognize without our assistance. 

The sources whence we derive these stories are, first, 



PKEFACE. V 

the Italian poets named above ; next, the " Romans de 
Chevalerie " of the Comte de Tressan ; lastly, certain 
German collections of popular tales. Some chapters 
have been borrowed from Leigh Hunt's Translations 
from the Italian Poets. It seemed unnecessary to do 
over again what he had already done so well ; yet, on 
the other hand, those stories could not be omitted from 
the series without leaving it incomplete. 



CONTENTS. 



Pagb 
Introduction ix 



The Peers, or Paladins 1 

The Tournament . 15 

The Siege op Albracca ....... 29 

Adventures of Einaldo and Orlando .... 48 

The Invasion op France ....... 64 

The Invasion of France, continued .... 79 

Bradamante and Eogero 96 

astolpho and the enchantress . . . . . . 112 

The Orc . . . . ■ 130 

Astolpho's Adventures continued, and Isabella's begun 142 

Mjedoro 153 

Orlando mad ......... 166 

Zerbino and Isabella 180 

Astolpho in Abyssinia . 195 

The War in Africa . 208 

Kogero and Bradamante .... ... 228 

The Battle of Roncesvalles 249 



Vlll CONTENTS. 

r.inaldo and bayard ....... 270 

Death of Rinaldo ........ 280 

Huon of Bordeaux ........ 290 

Huon of Bordeaux, continued ...... 302 

Huon of Bordeaux, continued . , . . . 319 

Ogier, the Dane 331 

Ogier, the Dane, continued ...... 346 

Ogier, the Dane, continued 358 



Introduction 




T 



JSI 



-XJ 



1HOSE who have investigated 
the origin of the romantic fa- 
bles relating to Charlemagne and his 
peers, are of opinion that the deeds of 
Charles Martel, and perhaps of other 
Charleses, have been blended in popu- 
lar tradition with those properly belong- 
ing to Charlemagne. It was indeed a 
most momentous era ; and if our readers will have patience, 
before entering on the perusal of the fabulous annals which 
we are about to lay before them, to take a rapid survey of 
the real history of the times, they will find it hardly less ro- 
mantic than the tales of the poets. 



ff^TL?T 



X INTRODUCTION. 

In the century beginning from the year 600, the countries 
bordering upon the native land of our Saviour, to the east 
and south, had not yet received his religion. Arabia was 
the seat of an idolatrous religion resembling that of the an- 
cient Persians, who worshipped the sun, moon, and stars. In 
Mecca, in the year 571, Mahomet was born, and here, at the 
age of forty, he proclaimed himself the prophet of God, in 
dignity as superior to Christ as Christ had been to Moses. 
Having obtained by slow degrees a considerable number of 
disciples, he resorted to arms to diffuse his religion. The 
energy and zeal of his followers, aided by the weakness of 
the neighboring nations, enabled him and his successors to 
spread the sway of Arabia and the religion of Mahomet ove; 
the countries to the east as far as the Indus, northward over 
Persia and Asia Minor, westward over Egypt and the south- 
ern shores of the Mediterranean, and thence over the prin- 
cipal portion of Spain. All this was done within one hundred 
years from the Hegira, or flight of Mahomet from Mecca to 
Medina, which happened in the year 622, and is the era 
from which Mahometans reckon time, as we do from the 
birth of Christ. 

From Spain the way was open for the Saracens (so the 
followers of Mahomet were called) into France, the conquest 
of which, if achieved, would have been followed very proba- 
bly by that of all the rest of Europe, and would have resulted 
in the banishment of Christianity from the earth. For Chris- 
tianity was not at that day universally professed, even by 
those nations which we now regard as foremost in civiliza- 
tion. Great part of Germany, Britain, Denmark, and Russia 
were still pagan or barbarous. 

At that time there ruled in France, though without the 



INTRODUCTION. xi 

title of king, the first of those illustrious Charleses of whom 
we have spoken, Charles Martel, the grandfather of Charle- 
magne. The Saracens of Spain had made incursions into 
France in 712 and 718, and had retired, carrying with them 
a vast booty. In 725, Anbessa, who was then the Saracen 
governor of Spain, crossed the Pyrenees with a numerous 
army, and took by storm the strong town of Carcassone. So 
great was the terror excited by this invasion, that the coun- 
try for a wide extent submitted to the conqueror, and a Ma- 
hometan governor for the province was appointed and installed 
at Narbonne. Anbessa, however, received a fatal wound in 
one of his engagements, and the Saracens, being thus checked 
from further advance, retired to Narbonne. 

In 732 the Saracens again invaded France under Abdal- 
rahman, advanced rapidly to the banks of the Garonne, and 
laid siege to Bordeaux. The city was taken by assault and 
delivered up to the soldiery. The invaders still pressed 
forward, and spread over the territories of Orleans, Auxerre, 
and Sens. Their advanced parties were suddenly called in 
by their chief, who had received information of the rich 
abbey of St. Martin of Tours, and resolved to plunder and • 
destroy it. 

Charles during all this time had done nothing to oppose 
the Saracens, for the reason that the portion of France over 
which their incursions had been made was not at that time 
under his dominion, but constituted an independent kingdom, 
under the name of Aquitaine, of which Eude was king. But 
now Charles became convinced of the danger, and prepared 
to encounter it. Abdalrahman was advancing toward Tours, 
when intelligence of the approach of Charles, at the head of 
an army of Franks, compelled him to fall back upon Poitiers, 
in order to seize an advantageous field of battle. 



Xll INTRODUCTION. 

Charles Martel had called together his warriors from every 
part of his dominions, and, at the head of such an army as 
had hardly ever been seen in France, crossed the Loire, 
probably at Orleans, and, being joined by the remains of the 
army of Aquitaine, came in sight of the Arabs in the month 
of October, 732. The Saracens seem to have been aware 
of the terrible enemy they were now to encounter, and for 
the first time these formidable conquerors hesitated. The 
two armies remained in presence during seven days before 
either ventured to begin the attack ; but at length the signal 
for battle was given by Abdalrahman, and the immense mass 
of the Saracen army rushed with fury on the Franks. But 
the heavy line of the Northern warriors remained like a rock, 
and the Saracens, during nearly the whole day, expended 
their strength in vain attempts to make any impression upon 
them. At length, about four o'clock in the afternoon, when 
Abdalrahman was preparing for a new and desperate attempt 
to break the line of the Franks, a terrible clamor was heard 
in the rear of the Saracens. It was King Eude, who, with 
his Aquitanians, had attacked their camp, and a great part 
of the Saracen army rushed tumultuously from the field to 
protect their plunder. In this moment of confusion the line 
of the Franks advanced, and, sweeping the field before it, 
carried fearful slaughter amongst the enemy. Abdalrahman 
made desperate efforts to rally his troops, but when he him 
self, with the bravest of his officers, fell beneath the swords 
of the Christians, all order disappeared, and the remains of 
his army sought refuge in their immense camp, from which 
Eude and his Aquitanians had been repulsed. It was now 
late, and Charles, unwilling to risk an attack on the camp 
in the dark, withdrew his army, and passed the night in the 
plain, expecting to renew the battle in the morning. 



INTRODUCTION. Xlll 

Accordingly, when daylight came, the Franks drew up in 
order of battle, but no enemy appeared; and when at last 
they ventured to approach the Saracen camp, they found it 
empty. The invaders had taken advantage of the night to 
begin their retreat, and were already on their way back to 
Spain, leaving their immense plunder behind to fall into the 
hands of the Franks. 

This was the celebrated battle of Tours, in which vast 
numbers of the Saracens were slain, and only fifteen hundred 
of the Franks. Charles received the surname of Martel (the 
Hammer) in consequence of this victory. 

The Saracens, notwithstanding this severe blow, continued 
to hold their ground in the South of France ; but Pepin, the 
son of Charles Martel, who succeeded to his father's power, 
and assumed the title of king, successively took from them 
the strong places they held ; and in 759, by the capture of 
Narbonne, their capital, extinguished the remains of their 
power in France. 

Charlemagne, or Charles the Great, succeeded his father, 
Pepin, on the throne in the year 768. This prince, though 
the hero of numerous romantic legends, appears greater in 
history than in fiction. Whether we regard him as a warrior 
or as a legislator, as a patron of learning or as the civilizer 
of a barbarous nation, he is entitled to our warmest admira- 
tion. Such he is in history; but the romancers represent 
him as often weak and passionate, the victim of treacherous 
counsellors, and at the mercy of turbulent barons, on whose 
prowess he depends for the maintenance of his throne. The 
historical representation is doubtless the true one, for it is 
handed down in trustworthy records, and is confirmed by the 
events of the age. At the height of his power, the French 



XIV INTRODUCTION. 

empire extended over what we now call France, German}', 
Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, and great part of Italy. 

In the year 800, Charlemagne, being in Rome, whither he 
had gone with a numerous army to protect the Pope, was 
crowned by the Pontiff Emperor of the West. On Christ- 
mas day Charles entered the Church of St. Peter, as if 
merely to take his part in the celebration of the mass with 
the rest of the congregation. When lie approached the altar 
and stooped in the act of prayer, the Pope stepped forward 
and placed a crown of gold upon his head ; and immediately 
the Roman people shouted, " Life and victory to Charles the 
August, crowned by God the great and pacific Emperor of 
the Romans." The Pope then prostrated himself before him, 
and paid him reverence, according to the custom established 
in the times of the ancient Emperors, and concluded the 
ceremony by anointing him with consecrated oil. 

Charlemagne's wars were chiefly against the pagan and 
barbarous people, who, under the name of Saxons, inhabited 
the countries now called Hanover and Holland. He also 
led expeditions against the Saracens of Spain ; but his wars 
with the Saracens were not carried on, as the romances 
assert, in France, but on the soil of Spain. He entered 
Spain by the Eastern Pyrenees, and made an easy conquest 
of Barcelona and Pampeluna. But Saragossa refused to 
open her gates to him, and Charles ended by negotiating, 
and accepting a vast sum of gold as the price of his return 
over the Pyrenees. 

On his way back, he marched with his whole army 
through the gorges of the mountains by way of the valleys 
of Engui, Eno, and Roncesvalles. The chief of this region 
had waited upon Charlemagne, on his advance, as a faithful 



INTRODUCTION. XV 

vassal of the monarchy ; but now, on the return of the 
Franks, he had called together all the wild mountaineers 
who acknowledged him as their chief, and they occupied 
the heights of the mountains under which the army had to 
pass. The main body of the troops met with no obstruc- 
tion, and received no intimation of danger ; but the rear- 
guard, which was considerably behind, and encumbered with 
its plunder, was overwhelmed by the mountaineers in the 
pass of Roncesvalles, and slain to a man. Some of the 
bravest of the Frankish chiefs perished on this occasion, 
among whom is mentioned Roland or Orlando, governor of 
the marches or frontier of Brittany. His name became 
famous in after times, and the disaster of Roncesvalles and 
death of Roland became eventually the most celebrated 
episode in the vast cycle of romance. 

Though after this there were hostile encounters between 
the armies of Charlemagne and the Saracens, they were of 
small account, and generally on the soil of Spain. Thus the 
historical foundation for the stories of the romancers is but 
scanty, unless we suppose the events of an earlier and of a 
later age to be incorporated with those of Charlemagne's 
own time. 

There is, however, a pretended history, which for a long 
time was admitted as authentic, and attributed to Turpin, 
Archbishop of Rheims, a real personage of the time of 
Charlemagne. Its title is " History of Charles the Great and 
Orlando." It is now unhesitatingly considered as a collec- 
tion of popular traditions, produced by some credulous and 
unscrupulous monk, who thought to give dignity to his 
romance by ascribing its authorship to a well-known and 
eminent individual. It introduces its pretended author. 
Bishop Turpin, in this manner: — 



XVI INTRODUCTION. 

"Turpin, Archbishop of Rheims, the friend and secretary 
of Charles the Great, excellently skilled in sacred and pro- 
fane literature, of a genius equally adapted to prose and verse, 
the advocate of the poor, beloved of God in his life and 
conversation, who often fought the Saracens, hand to hand, 
by the Emperor's side, he relates the acts of Charles the 
Great in one book, and flourished under Charles and his son 
Louis, to the year of our Lord eight hundred and thirty." 

The titles of some of Archbishop Turpin's chapters will 
show the nature of his history. They are these : " Of the 
Walls of Pampeluna, that fell of themselves." " Of the War 
of the holy Facundus, where the Spears grew." (Certain 
of the Christians fixed their spears, in the evening, erect 
in the ground, before the castle ; and found them, in the 
morning, covered with bark and branches.) "How the Sun 
stood still for Three Days, and of the Slaughter of Four Thou- 
sand Saracens." 

Turpin's history has perhaps been the source of the 
marvellous adventures which succeeding poets and romancers 
have accumulated around the names of Charlemagne and 
his Paladins, or Peers. But Ariosto and the other Italian 
poets have drawn from different sources, and doubtless often 
from their own invention, numberless other stories which 
they attribute to the same heroes, not hesitating to quote 
as their authority " the good Turpin," though his history 
contains no trace of them ; — and the more outrageous the 
improbability, or rather the impossibility, of their narrations, 
the more attentive are they to cite "the Archbishop," gen- 
erally adding their testimonial to his unquestionable veracity. 

The principal Italian poets who have sung the adventures 
of the peers of Charlemagne are Pulci, Boiardo, and 



INTRODUCTION. XV11 

Ariosto. The characters of Orlando, Rinaldo, Astolpho, 
Gano, and others, are the same in all, though the adven- 
tures attributed to them are different. Boiardo tells us of 
the loves of Orlando, Ariosto of his disappointment and con- 
sequent madness, Pulci of his death. 

Ogier, the Dane, is a real personage. History agrees 
with romance in representing him as a powerful lord who, 
originally from Denmark and a Pagan, embraced Chris- 
tianity, and took service under Charlemagne. He revolted 
from the Emperor, and was driven into exile. He after- 
wards led one of those bands of piratical Northmen which 
ravaged France under the reigns of Charlemagne's degen- 
erate successors. The description which an ancient chron- 
icler gives of Charlemagne, as described by Ogier, is so 
picturesque, that we are tempted to transcribe it. Charle- 
magne was advancing to the siege of Pavia. Didier, King 
of the Lombards, was in the city with Ogier, to whom he 
had given refuge. When they learned that the king was 
approaching, they mounted a high tower, whence they could 
see far and wide over the country. "They first saw 
advancing the engines of war, fit for the armies of Darius 
or Julius Caesar. ' There is Charlemagne,' said Didier. 
'No,' said Ogier. The Lombard next saw a vast body 
of soldiers, who filled all the plain. ' Certainly Charles ad- 
vances with that host,' said the king. 'Not yet,' replied 
Ogier. ' What hope for us,' resumed the king, * if he 
brings with him a greater host than that?' At last Charles 
appeared, his head covered with an iron helmet, his hands 
with iron gloves, his breast and shoulders with a cuirass of 
iron, his left hand holding an iron lance, while his right 
hand grasped his sword. Those who went before the 
b 



XVlll INTRODUCTION. 

monarch, those who marched at his side, and those who fol- 
lowed him, all had similar arms. Iron covered the fields 
and the roads ; iron points reflected the rays of the sun. 
This iron, so hard, was borne by a people whose hearts 
were harder still. The blaze of the weapons flashed terror 
into the streets of the city." 

This picture of Charlemagne in his military aspect would 
be incomplete without a corresponding one of his " mood of 
peace." One of the greatest of modern historians, M. Guizot, 
has compared the glory of Charlemagne to a brilliant meteor, 
rising suddenly out of the darkness of barbarism to disappear 
no less suddenly in the darkness of feudalism. But the 
light of this meteor was not extinguished, and reviving 
civilization owed much that was permanently beneficial to 
the great Emperor of the Franks. His ruling hand is seen 
in the legislation of his time, as well as in the adminis- 
tration of the laws. He encouraged learning ; he upheld the 
clergy, who were the only peaceful and intellectual class, 
against the encroaching and turbulent barons ; he was an 
affectionate father, and watched carefully over the education 
of his children, both sons and daughters. Of his encour- 
agement of learning, we will give some particulars. 

He caused learned men to be brought from Italy and 
from other foreign countries, to revive the public schools of 
France, which had been prostrated by the disorders of pre- 
ceding times. He recompensed these learned men liberally, 
and kept some of them near himself, honoring them with 
his friendship. Of these the most celebrated is Alcuin, an 
Englishman, whose writings still remain, and prove him to 
have been both a learned and a wise man. With the assist' 
ance of Alcuin, and others like him, he founded an academy 



INTRODUCTION. XIX 

or royal school, which should have the direction of the studies 
of all the schools of the kingdom. Charlemagne himself 
was a member of this academy on equal terms with the 
rest. He attended its meetings, and fulfilled all the duties 
of an academician. Each member took the name of some 
famous man of antiquity. Alcuin called himself Horace, 
another took the name of Augustin, a third of Pindar. 
Charlemagne, who knew the Psalms by heart, and who had 
an ambition to be, according to his conception, a king after 
God's own heart, received from his brother academicians the 
name of David. 

Of the respect entertained for him by foreign nations an 
interesting proof is afforded in the embassy sent to him by 
the Caliph of the Arabians, the celebrated Haroun al 
Raschid, a prince in character and conduct not unlike to 
Charlemagne. The ambassadors brought, with them, besides 
other rich presents, a clock, the first that was seen in Eu- 
rope, which excited universal admiration. It had the form 
of a twelve-sided edifice with twelve doors. These doors 
formed niches, in each of which was a little statue repre- 
senting one of the hours. At the striking of the hour the 
doors, one for each stroke, were seen to open, and from the 
doors to issue as many of the little statues, which, following 
one another, marched gravely round the tower. The motion 
of the clock Avas caused by water, and the striking was 
effected by balls of brass equal to the number of the hours, 
which fell upon a cymbal of the same metal, the number 
falling being determined by the discharge of the water, 
which, as it sunk in the vessel, allowed their escape. 

Charlemagne was succeeded by his son Louis, a well-in- 
tentioned but feeble prince, in whose reign the fabric reared 



XX INTRODUCTION. 

by Charles began rapidly *to crumble. Louis was followed 
successively by two Charleses, incapable princes, whose weak 
and often tyrannical conduct is no doubt the source of incidents 
of that character ascribed in the romances to Charlemagne. 
The lawless and disobedient deportment of Charles's paladins, 
instances of which are so frequent in the romantic legends, 
was also a trait of the declining empire, but not of that of 
Charlemagne. 



LEGENDS OE CHARLEMAGNE 



THE PEERS, OR PALADINS. 



THE twelve most illustrious knights of Charlemagne 
were called Peers, for the equality that reigned 
among them ; while the name of Paladins, also con- 
ferred on them, implies that they were inmates of the 
palace and companions of the king. Their names are 
not always given alike by the romancers, yet we may 
enumerate the most distinguished of them as follows : 
Orlando or Roland (the former the Italian, the latter 
the French form of the name), favorite nephew of 
Charlemagne ; Rinaldo of Montalban, cousin of Orlando ; 
Namo, Duke of Bavaria ; Salomon, King of Brittany ; 
Turpin, the Archbishop ; Astolpho, of England ; Ogier, 
the Dane ; Malagigi, the Enchanter ; and Florismart, 
the friend of Orlando. There were others who are 
sometimes named as paladins, and the number cannot 
be strictly limited to twelve. Charlemagne himself must 
be counted one, and Ganelon, or Gano, of Mayence, the 



2 - LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

treacherous enemy of all the rest, was rated high on the 
list by his deluded sovereign, who was completely the 
victim of his arts. 

We shall introduce more particularly to our readers 
a few of the principal peers, leaving the others to make 
their own introduction, as they appear in the course of 
our narrative. We begin with Orlando. 

Orlando. 

Milon, or Milone, a knight of great family, and dis- 
tantly related to Charlemagne, having secretly married 
Bertha, the Emperor's sister, was banished from France, 
and excommunicated by the Pope. After a long and 
miserable wandering on foot as mendicants, Milon and 
his wife arrived at Sutri, in Italy, where they took refuge 
in a cave, and in that cave Orlando was born. There 
his mother continued, deriving a scanty support from the 
compassion of the neighboring peasants ; while Milon, in 
quest of honor and fortune, went into foreign lands. 
Orlando grew up among the children of the peasantry, 
surpassing them all in strength and manly graces. 
Among his companions in age, though ' in station far 
more elevated, was Oliver, son of the governor of 
the town. Between the two boys a feud arose, that 
led to a fight, in which Orlando thrashed his rival; 
but this did not prevent a friendship springing up be- 
tween the two which lasted through life. 



THE PEEKS, OE PALADINS. 3 

Orlando was so poor that he was sometimes half 
naked. As he was a favorite of the boys, one day four 
of them brought some cloth to make him clothes. Two 
brought white and two red ; and from this circum- 
stance Orlando took his coat-of-arms, or quarterings. 

When Charlemagne was on his way to Rome to 
receive the imperial crown, he dined in public in 
Sutri. Orlando and his mother that day had nothing 
to eat, and Orlando, coming suddenly upon the royal 
party, and seeing abundance of provisions, seized from 
the attendants as much as he could carry off, and made 
good his retreat in spite of their resistance. The Em- 
peror, being told of this incident, was reminded of an 
intimation he had received in a dream, and ordered the 
boy to be followed. This was done by three of the 
knights, whom Orlando would have encountered with 
a cudgel on their entering the grotto, had not his 
mother restrained him. When they heard from her 
who she was, they threw themselves at her feet, and 
promised to obtain her pardon from the Emperor. 
This was easily effected. Orlando was received into 
favor by the Emperor, returned with him to France, 
and so distinguished himself that he became the most 
powerful support of the throne and of Christianity.* 

* It is plain that Shakespeare borrowed from this source the similar inci- 
dent in his "As you Like it." The names of characters in the play, Orlando, 
Oliver, Kowland, indicate the same thing. 



LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 




Roland and Ferragus. 



Orlando, or Roland, particularly distinguished him- 
self by his combat with Ferragus. Ferragus was a 
giant, and moreover his skin was of such impenetrable 
stuff that no sword could make any impression upon 
it. The giant's mode of fighting was to seize his 
adversary in his arms and carry him off, in spite of 
all the struggles he could make. Roland's utmost skill 
only availed to keep him out of the giant's clutches, 
but all his efforts to wound him with the sword were 
useless. After long fighting, Ferragus was so weary 
that he proposed a truce, and when it was agreed 
upon, he lay down and immediately fell asleep. He 



THE PEEES, OR PALADINS. 5 

slept in perfect security, for it was against all the laws 
of chivalry to take advantage of an adversary under 
such circumstances. But Ferragus lay so uncomfort- 
ably for the want of a pillow, that Orlando took pity 
upon him, and brought a smooth stone and placed it 
under his head. When the giant woke up, after a 
refreshing nap, and perceived what Orlando had done, 
he seemed quite grateful, became sociable, and talked 
freely in the usual boastful style of such characters. 
Among other things, he told Orlando that he need not 
attempt to kill him with a sword, for that every part 
of his body was invulnerable, except this ; and as he 
spoke, he put his hand to the vital part, just in the 
middle of his breast. Aided by this information, Or- 
lando succeeded, when the fight was renewed, in 
piercing the giant in the very spot he had pointed out, 
and giving him a death-wound. Great was the re- 
joicing in the Christian camp, and many the praises 
showered upon the victorious paladin by the Emperor 
and all his host. 

On another occasion, Orlando encountered a puis- 
sant Saracen warrior, and took from him, as the prize 
of victory, the sword Durindana. This famous weapon 
had once belonged to the illustrious prince Hector of 
Troy. It was of the finest workmanship, and of such 
strength and temper that no armor in the world could 
stand against it. 



LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

A Roland for an Oliver. 

Guerin de Montglave held the lordship of Vienne, 
subject to Charlemagne. He had quarrelled with his 
sovereign, and Charles laid siege to his city, having 
ravaged the neighboring country. Guerin was an 
aged warrior, but relied for his defence upon his four 
sons and two grandsons, who were among the bravest 
knights of the age. After the siege had continued two 
months, Charlemagne received tidings that Marsilius, 
king of Spain, had invaded France, and, finding him- 
self unopposed, was advancing rapidly in the Southern 
provinces. At this intelligence, Charles listened to the 
counsel of his peers, and consented to put the quarrel 
with Guerin to the decision of Heaven, by single com- 
bat between two knights, one of each party, selected 
by lot. The proposal was acceptable to Guerin and 
his sons. The names of the four, together with 
Guerin's own, who would not be excused, and of the 
two grandsons, who claimed their lot, being put into 
a helmet, Oliver's was drawn forth, and to him, the 
youngest of the grandsons, was assigned the honor and 
the peril of the combat. He accepted the award with 
delight, exulting in being thought worthy to maintain 
the cause of his family. On Charlemagne's side Ro- 
land was the designated champion, and neither he nor 
Oliver knew who his antagonist was to be. 



THE PEERS, OR PALADINS. 7 

They met on an island in the Rhone, and the war- 
riors of both camps were ranged on either shore, spec- 
tators of the battle. At the first encounter both 
lances were shivered, but both riders kept their seats, 
immovable. They dismounted, and drew their swords. 
Then ensued a combat which seemed so equal, that 
the spectators could not form an opinion as to the 
probable issue. Two hours and more the knights con- 
tinued to strike and parry, to thrust and ward, neither 
showing any sign of weariness, nor ever being taken 
at unawares. At length Orlando struck furiously upon 
Oliver's shield, burying Durindana in its edge so 
deeply that he could not draw it back, and Oliver, 
almost at the same moment, thrust so vigorously upon 
Orlando's breastplate that his sword snapped off at the 
handle. Thus were the two warriors left weaponless. 
Scarcely i pausing a moment, they rushed upon one 
another, each striving to throw his adversary to the 
ground, and failing in that, each snatched at the oth- 
er's helmet to tear it away. Both succeeded, and at 
the same moment they stood bareheaded face to face, 
and Roland recognized Oliver, and Oliver Roland. For 
a moment they stood still ; and the next, with open 
arms, rushed into one another's embrace. " I am con- 
quered," said Orlando. " I yield me," said Oliver. 

The people on the shore knew not what to make 



8 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

of all this. Presently they saw the two late antago- 
nists standing hand in hand, and it was evident the 
battle was at an end. The knights crowded round 
them, and with one voice hailed them as equals in 
glory. If there were any who felt disposed to mur- 
mur that the battle was left undecided, they were 
silenced by the voice of Ogier the Dane, who pro- 
claimed aloud that all had been done that honor 
required, and declared that he would maintain that 
award against all gainsayers. 

The quarrel with Guerin and his sons being left 
undecided, a truce was made for four days, and in 
that time, by the efforts of Duke Namo on the one 
side, and of Oliver on the other, a reconciliation was 
effected. Charlemagne, accompanied by Guerin and 
his valiant family, marched to meet Marsilius, who 
hastened to retreat across the frontier. 

Rinaldo. 

Rinaldo was one of the four sons of Aymon, who 
married Aya, the sister of Charlemagne. Thus Rinaldo 
was nephew to Charlemagne and cousin of Orlando. 

When Rinaldo had grown old enough to assume 
arms, Orlando had won for himself an illustrious name 
by his exploits against the Saracens, whom Charle- 
magne and his brave knights had driven out of 



THE PEERS, OR PALADINS. 9 

France. Orlando's fame excited a noble emulation in 
Rinaldo. Eager to go in pursuit of glory, lie wan- 
dered in the country near Paris, and one day saw at 
the foot of a tree a superb horse, fully equipped and 
loaded with a complete suit of armor. Binaldo clothed 
himself in the armor and mounted the horse, but took 
not the sword. On the day when, with his brothers, 
he had received the honor of knighthood from the 
Emperor, he had sworn never to bind a sword to his 
side till he had wrested one from some famous knight. 
Rinaldo took his way to the forest of Arden, cele- 
brated for so many adventures. Hardly had he entered 
it, when he met an old man, bending under the weight 
of years, and learned from him that the forest was 
infested with a wild horse, untamable, that broke and 
overturned everything that opposed his career. To 
attack him, he said, or even to meet him, was certain 
death. Rinaldo, far from being alarmed, showed the 
most eager desire to combat the animal. This was 
the horse Bayard, afterwards so famous. He had 
formerly belonged to Amadis of Gaul. After the 
death of that hero, he had been held under enchant- 
ment by the power of a magician, who predicted that, 
when the time came to break the spell, he should be 
subdued by a knight of the lineage of Amadis, and 
not less brave than he. 



10 LEGENDS OF CHAELEMAGNE. 

To win this wonderful horse, it was necessary to 
conquer him by force or skill ; for from the moment 
when he should be thrown down, he would become 
docile and manageable. His habitual resort was a 
cave on the borders of the forest; but woe be to any 
one who should approach him, unless gifted with 
strength and courage more than mortal. Having told 
this, the old man departed. He was not, in fact, an 
old man, but Malagigi, the enchanter, cousin of Ri- 
naldo, who, to favor the enterprises of the young knight, 
had procured for him the horse and armor which he 
so opportunely found, and now put him in the way to 
acquire a horse unequalled in the world. 

Rinaldo plunged into the forest, and spent many 
days in seeking Bayard, but found no traces of him. 
One day he encountered a Saracen knight, wdth whom 
he made acquaintance, as often happened to knights, 
by first meeting him in combat. This knight, whose 
name was Isolier, was also in quest of Bayard. Ri- 
naldo succeeded in the encounter, and so severe was 
the shock that Isolier was a long time insensible. 
When he revived, and was about to resume the con- 
test, a peasant who passed by (it was Malagigi) inter- 
rupted them w T ith the news that the terrible horse was 
near at hand, advising them to unite their powers to 
subdue him, for it would require all their ability. 



THE PEEKS, OR PALADINS. 11 

Rinaldo and Isolier, now become friends, proceeded 
together to the attack of the horse. They found Bay- 
ard, and stood a long time, concealed by the wood, 
admiring his strength and beauty. 

A bright bay in color (whence he was called 
Bayard), with a silver star in his forehead, and his 
hind feet white, his body slender, his head delicate, 
his ample chest filled out with swelling muscles, his 
shoulders broad and full, his legs straight and sinewy, 
his thick mane falling over his arching neck, — he 
came rushing through the forest, regardless of rocks, 
bushes, or trees, rending everything that opposed his 
way, and neighing defiance. 

He first descried Isolier, and rushed upon him. 
The knight receiyed him with lance in rest, but the 
fierce animal broke the spear, and his course was not 
delayed by it for an instant* The Spaniard adroitly 
stepped aside, and gave way to the rushing tempest. 
Bayard checked his career, and turned again upon the 
knight, who had already drawn his sword. He drew 
his sword, for he had no hope of taming the horse ; 
that, he was satisfied, was impossible. 

Bayard rushed upon him, fiercely rearing, now on 
this side, now on that. The knight struck him with 
his sword, where the white star adorned his forehead, 
but struck in vain, and felt ashamed, thinking that he 



12 LEGENDS OF CHAKLEMAGNE. 

had struck feebly, for he did not know that the skin 
of that horse was so tough that the keenest sword 
could make no impression upon it. 

Whistling fell the sword once more, and struck with 
greater force, and the fierce horse felt it, and drooped 
his head under the blow, but the next moment turned 
upon his foe with such a buffet that the Pagan fell 
stunned and lifeless to the earth. 

Rinaldo, who saw Isolier fall, and thought that his 
life was reft, darted towards the horse, and, with his 
fist, gave him such a blow on the jaws that the blood 
tinged his mouth with vermilion. Quicker than an 
arrow leaves the bow the horse turned upon him, and 
tried to seize his arm with his teeth. 

The knight stepped back, and then, repeating his 
blow, struck him on the forehead. Bayard turned, 
and kicked with both his feet with a force that would 
have shattered a mountain. Rinaldo was on his guard, 
and evaded his attacks, whether made with head or 
heels. He kept at his side, avoiding both ; but, 
making a false step, he at last received a terrible blow 
from the horse's foot, and at the shock almost fainted 
away. A second such blow would have killed him, 
but the horse kicked at random, and a second blow 
did not reach Rinaldo, who in a moment recovered 
himself. Thus the contest continued until by chance 



THE PEEES, OR PALADINS. 13 

Bayard's foot got caught between the branches of an 
oak. Rinaldo seized it, and putting forth all his 
strength and address, threw him on the ground.' 

No sooner had Bayard touched the ground, than all 
his rage subsided. No longer an object of terror, he 
became gentle and quiet, yet with dignity in his mild- 
ness. 

The paladin patted his neck, stroked his breast, and 
smoothed his mane, while the animal neighed and 
showed delight to be caressed by his master. Rinaldo, 
seeing him now completely subdued, took the saddle 
and trappings from the other horse, and adorned Bay- 
ard with the spoils. 

Rinaldo became one of the most illustrious knights 
of Charlemagne's court, — indeed, the most illustrious, 
if we except Orlando. Yet he was not always so obe- 
dient to the Emperor's commands as he should have 
been, and every fault he committed was sure to be 
aggravated by the malice of Gan, Duke of Maganza, 
the treacherous enemy of Rinaldo and all his house. 

At one time Rinaldo had incurred the severe dis- 
pleasure of Charlemagne, and been banished from 
court. Seeing no chance of being ever restored to 
favor, he went to Spain, and entered into the service 
of the Saracen king, Ivo. His brothers, Alardo, 
Ricardo, and Ricciardetto, accompanied him, and all 



14 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

four served the king so faithfully that they rose to 
high favor with him. The king gave them land in 
the mountains on the frontiers of France and Spain, 
and subjected all the country round to Rinaldo's 
authority. There was plenty of marble in the moun- 
tains, the king furnished workmen, and they built a 
castle for Rinaldo, surrounded with high walls, so as 
to be almost impregnable. Built of white stone, and 
placed on the brow of a marble promontory, the castle 
shone like a star, and Rinaldo gave it the name of 
Montalban. Here he assembled his friends, many 
of whom were banished men like himself, and the 
country people furnished them with provisions in re- 
turn for the protection the castle afforded. Yet some 
of Rinaldo's men were lawless, and sometimes the sup- 
plies were not furnished in sufficient abundance, so that 
Rinaldo and his garrison got a bad name for taking 
by force what they could not obtain by gift; and we 
sometimes find Montalban spoken of as a nest of free- 
booters, and its defenders called a beggarly garrison. 

Charlemagne's displeasure did not last long, and, at 
the time our history commences, Rinaldo and his 
brothers were completely restored to the favor of the 
Emperor, and none of his cavaliers served him with 
greater zeal and fidelity than they, throughout all his 
wars with the Saracens and Pagans. 



\h^\\> -'^ 




THE TOURNAMENT. 



IT was the month of May, and the feast of Pente- 
cost. Charlemagne had ordered magnificent fes- 
tivities, and summoned to them, besides his paladins 
and vassals of the crown, all strangers, Christian or 
Saracen, then sojourning at Paris. Among the guests 
were King Grandonio, from Spain ; and Ferrau, the 
Saracen, with eyes like an eagle ; Orlando and Ri- 
naldo, the Emperor's nephews ; Duke Namo ; Astolpho, 
of England, the handsomest man living ; Malagigi, the 
Enchanter ; and Gano, of Maganza, that wily traitor, 
who had the art to make the Emperor think he loved 
him, while he plotted against him. 



16 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

High sat Charlemagne at the head of his vassals 
and his paladins, rejoicing in the thought of their 
number and their might, while all were sitting and 
hearing music, and feasting, when suddenly there came 
into the hall four enormous giants, having between 
them a lady of incomparable beauty, attended by a 
single knight. There were many ladies present who 
had seemed beautiful till she made her appearance, but 
after that they all seemed nothing. Every Christian 
knight turned his eyes to her, and every Pagan 
crowded round her, while she, with a sweetness that 
might have touched a heart of stone, thus addressed 
the Emperor: — 

" High-minded lord, the renown of your worthiness, 
and of the valor of these your knights, which echoes 
from sea to sea, encourages me to hope that two pil- 
grims, who have come from the ends of the world to 
behold you, will not have encountered their fatigue in 
vain. And, before I show the motive which has 
brought us hither, learn that this knight is my brother 
Uberto, and that I am his sister Angelica. Fame has 
told us of the jousting this day appointed, and so the 
prince my brother has come to prove his valor, and to 
say that, if any of the knights here assembled choose 
to meet him in the joust, he will encounter them, one 
by one, at the stair of Merlin, by the Fountain of the 



THE TOUENAMENT. 17 

Pine. And his conditions are these : No knight who 
chances to be thrown shall be allowed to renew the 
combat, but shall remain prisoner to my brother, but 
if my brother be overthrown, he shall depart out of 
the country, leaving me as the prize of the con- 
queror." 

Now it must be stated that this Angelica and her 
brother who called himself Uberto, but whose real 
name was Argalia, were the children of Galafron, 
king of Cathay, who had sent them to be the destruc- 
tion of the Christian host ; for Argalia was armed 
with an enchanted lance, which unfailingly overthrew 
everything it touched, and he was mounted on a horse, 
a creature of magic, whose swiftness outstripped the 
wind. Angelica possessed also a ring which was a 
defence against all enchantments, and when put into 
the mouth rendered the bearer invisible. Thus Arga- 
lia was expected to subdue and take prisoners what- 
ever knights should dare to encounter him ; and the 
charms of Angelica were relied on to entice the pala- 
dins to make the fatal venture, while her ring would 
afford her easy means of escape. 

When Angelica ceased speaking, she knelt before 
the king and awaited his answer, and everybody gazed 
on her with admiration. Orlando especially felt irre- 
sistibly drawn towards her, so that he trembled and 



18 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

changed countenance. Every knight in the hall was 
infected with the same feeling, not excepting old white- 
headed Duke Namo and Charlemagne himself. 

All stood for a while in silence, lost in the delight 
of looking at her. The fiery youth Ferrau could 
hardly restrain himself from seizing her from the 
giants and carrying her away ; Rinaldo turned as red 
as fire, while Malagigi, who had discovered by his 
art that the stranger was not speaking truth, muttered 
softly, as he looked at her, " Exquisite false creature ! 
I will play thee such a trick for this, as will leave 
thee no cause to boast of thy visit." 

Charlemagne, to detain her as long as possible be- 
fore him,, delayed his assent till he had asked her a 
number of questions, all which she answered discreetly, 
and then tha challenge was accepted. 

As soon as she was gone, Malagigi consulted his 
book, and found out the whole plot of the vile, infidel 
king Galafron, as we have explained it, so he deter- 
mined to seek the damsel and frustrate her designs. 
He hastened to the appointed spot, and there found 
the prince and his sister in a beautiful pavilion, where 
they lay asleep, while the four giants kept watch. 
Malagigi took his book and cast a spell out of it, and 
immediately the four giants fell into a deep sleep. 
Drawing his sword (for he was a belted knight), he 



THE TOURNAMENT. 19 

softly approached the young lady, intending to de- 
spatch her at once ; but, seeing her look so lovely, he 
paused for a moment, thinking there was no need of 
hurry, as he believed his spell was upon her, and she 
could not wake. But the ring which she wore secured 
her from the effect of the spell, and some slight noise, 
or whatever else it was, caused her at that moment 
to awake. She uttered a great cry, and flew to her 
brother, and waked him. By the help of her knowl- 
edge of enchantment, they took and bound fast the 
magician, and, seizing his book, turned his arts against 
himself. Then they summoned a crowd of demons, and 
bade them seize their prisoner and bear him to king 
Galafron, at his great city of Albracca, which they 
did, and, on his arrival, he was locked up in a rock 
under the sea. 

While these things were going on, all was uproar 
at Paris, since Orlando insisted upon being the first 
to try the adventure at the stair of Merlin. This was 
resented by the other pretenders to Angelica, and all 
contested his right to the precedence. The tumult 
was stilled by the usual expedient of drawing lots, and 
the first prize was drawn by Astolpho. Ferrau, the 
Saracen, had the second, and Grandonio the third. 
Next came Berlinghieri, and Otho ; then Charles him- 
self, and, as his ill-fortune would have it, after thirty 
more, the indignant Orlando. 



20 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

Astolpho, who drew the first lot, was handsome, 
brave, and rich. But, whether from heedlessness or 
want of skill, he was an unlucky jouster, and very 
apt to be thrown, an accident which he bore with 
perfect good-humor, always ready to mount again and 
try to mend his fortune, generally with no better suc- 
cess. 

Astolpho went forth upon his adventure with great 
gayety of dress and manner, encountered Argalia, and 
was immediately tilted out of the saddle. He railed 
at fortune, to whom he laid all the fault ; but his 
painful feelings were somewhat relieved by the kind- 
ness of Angelica, who, touched by his youth and 
good looks, granted him the liberty of the pavilion, 
and caused him to be treated with all kindness and 
respect. 

.The violent Ferrau had the next chance in the en- 
counter, and was thrown no less speedily than Astol- 
pho ; but he did not so easily put up with his 
mischance. Crying out, " What are the emperor's 
engagements to me ? " he rushed with his sword 
against Argalia, who, being forced to defend himself, 
dismounted and drew his sword, but got so much the 
worse of the fight that he made a signal of surrender, 
and, after some words, listened to a proposal of mar- 
riage from Ferrau to his sister. The beauty, however, 



THE TOURNAMENT, 21 

feeling no inclination to match with such a rough 
and savage-looking person, was so dismayed at the 
offer, that, hastily bidding her brother to meet her in 
the forest of Arden, she vanished from the sight of 
both by means of the enchanted ring. Argalia, seeing 
this, took to his horse of swiftness, and dashed away 
in the same direction. Ferrau pursued him, and As- 
tolpho, thus left to himself, took possession of the en- 
chanted lance in place of his own, which was broken, 
not knowing the treasure he possessed in it, and 
returned to the tournament. Charlemagne, finding the 
lady and her brother gone, ordered the jousting to 
proceed as at first intended, in which Astolpho, by 
aid of the enchanted lance, unhorsed all comers against 
him, equally to their astonishment and his own. 

The paladin Rinaldo, on learning the issue of the 
combat of Ferrau and the stranger, galloped after the 
fair fugitive in an agony of love and impatience. Or- 
lando, perceiving his disappearance, pushed forth in 
like manner; and, at length, all three are in the forest 
of Arden, hunting about for her who is invisible. 

Now in this forest there were two fountains, the 
one constructed by the sage Merlin, who designed it 
for Tristram and the fair Isoude ; * for such was the 
virtue of this fountain, that a draught of its waters 

* See their story in " The Age of Chivalry." 



22 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

produced an oblivion of the love which the drinker 
might feel, and even produced aversion for the object 
formerly beloved. The other fountain was endowed 
with exactly opposite qualities, and a draught of it in- 
spired love for the first living object that was seen 
after tasting it. Rinaldo happened to come to the 
first-mentioned fountain, and, being flushed with heat, 
dismounted, and quenched in one draught both his 
thirst and his passion. So far from loving Angelica as 
before, he hated her from the bottom of his heart, 
became disgusted with the search he was upon, and, 
feeling fatigued with his ride, finding a sheltered and 
flowery nook, laid himself down and fell asleep. 

Shortly after came Angelica, but, approaching in a 
different direction, she espied the other fountain, and 
there quenched her thirst. Then resuming her way, 
she came upon the sleeping Rinaldo. Love instantly 
seized her, and she stood rooted to the spot. 

The meadow round was all full of lilies of the val- 
ley and wild roses. Angelica, not knowing what to 
do, at length plucked a handful of these, and dropped 
them, one by one, on the face of the sleeper. He 
woke up, and, seeing who it was, received her saluta- 
tions with averted countenance, remounted his horse, 
and galloped away. In vain the beautiful creature 
followed and called after him, in vain asked him 



THE TOURNAMENT. 23 

what she had done to be so despised. Rinaldo dis- 
appeared, leaving her in despair, and she returned in 
tears to the spot where she had found him sleeping. 
There, in her turn, she herself lay down, pressing the 
spot of earth on which he had lain, and, out of fatigue 
and sorrow, fell asleep. 

As Angelica thus lay, fortune conducted Orlando to 
the same place. The attitude in which she was 
sleeping was so lovely, that it is not to be conceived, 
much less expressed. Orlando stood gazing like a man 
who had been transported to another sphere. " Am 
I on earth," he exclaimed, " or am I in Paradise ? 
Surely it is I that sleep, and this is my dream." 

But his dream was proved to be none in a manner 
Vhich he little desired. Ferrau, who had slain Arga- 
lia, came up, raging with jealousy, and a combat ensued 
which awoke the sleeper. 

Terrified at what she beheld, she rushed to her 
palfrey, and, while the fighters were occupied with 
one another, fled away through the forest. The cham- 
pions continued their fight till they were interrupted 
by a messenger, who brought word to Ferrau that 
king Marsilius, his sovereign, was in pressing need of 
his assistance, and conjured him to return to Spain. 
Ferrau, upon this, proposed to suspend the combat, 
to which Orlando, eager to pursue Angelica, agreed. 



24 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

Ferrau, on the other hand, departed with the messen- 
ger to Spain. 

Orlando's quest for the fair fugitive was all in vain. 
Aided by the powers of magic, she made a speedy 
return to her own country. 

But the thought of Rinaldo could not be banished 
from her mind, and she determined to set Malagigi at 
liberty, and to employ him to win Rinaldo, if possible, 
to make her a return of affection. She accordingly 
freed him from his dungeon, unlocking his fetters with 
her own hands, and restored him his book, promising 
him ample honors and rewards, on condition of his 
bringing Rinaldo to her feet. 

Malagigi accordingly, with the aid of his book, called 
up a demon, mounted him, and departed. Arrived af 
his destination, he inveigled Rinaldo into an enchanted 
bark, which conveyed him, without any visible pilot, to 
an island where stood an edifice called Joyous Castle. 
The whole island was a garden. On the western side, 
close to the sea, was the palace, built of marble, so 
clear and polished that it reflected the landscape about 
it. Rinaldo leapt ashore, and soon met a lady, who 
invited him to enter. The house was as beautiful 
within as without, full of rooms adorned with azure 
and gold, and with noble paintings. The lady led the 
knight into an apartment painted with stories, and 



THE TOURNAMENT. 25 

opening to the garden, through pillars of crystal, with 
golden capitals. Here he found a bevy of ladies, three 
of whom were singing in concert, while another 
played on an instrument of exquisite accord, and the 
rest danced round about them. When the ladies be- 
held him coming, they turned the dance into a circuit 
round him, and then one of them, in the sweetest 
manner, said, " Sir knight, the tables are set, and the 
hour for the banquet is come " ; and, with these words, 
still dancing, they drew him across the lawn in front 
of the apartment, to a table that was spread with 
cloth of gold and fine linen, under a bower of damask 
roses by the side of a fountain. 

Four ladies were already seated there, who rose, 
and placed Rinaldo at their head, in a chair set with 
pearls. And truly indeed was he astonished. A re- 
past ensued, consisting of viands the most delicate, and 
wines as fragrant as they were fine, drunk out of 
jewelled cups ; and, when it drew towards its conclu- 
sion, harps and lutes were heard in the distance, and 
one of the ladies said in the knight's ear : " This house 
and all that you see in it are yours ; for you alone 
was it built, and the builder is a queen. Happy in- 
deed must you think yourself, for she loves you, and 
she is the greatest beauty in the world. Her name is 
Angelica." 



26 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

The moment Rinaldo heard the name he so detest- 
ed, he started up, with a changed countenance, and, in 
spite of all that the lady could say, broke off across 
the garden, and never ceased hastening till he reached 
the place where he landed. The bark was still on the 
shore. He sprang into it, and pushed off, though he 
saw nobody in it but himself. It was in vain for him 
to try to control its movements, for it dashed on as if 
in fury, till it reached a distant shore covered with a 
gloomy forest. Here Rinaldo, surrounded by enchant- 
ments of a very different sort from those which he 
had lately resisted, was entrapped into a pit. 

The pit belonged to a castle called Altaripa, which 
was hung with human heads, and painted red with 
blood. As the paladin was viewing the scene with 
amazement, a hideous old woman made her appear- 
ance at the edge of the pit, and told him that he was 
destined to be thrown to a monster, who was only 
kept from devastating the whole country by being 
supplied with living human flesh. Rinaldo said, " Be 
it so ; let me but remain armed as I am, and I fear 
nothing." The old woman' laughed in derision. Ri- 
naldo remained in the pit all night, and the next 
morning was taken to the place where the monster 
had his den. It was a court surrounded by a high 
wall. Rinaldo was shut in with the beast, and a tern- 



* THE TOUKNAMENT. 27 

ble combat ensued. Rinaldo was unable to make any 
impression on the scales of the monster, while he, on 
the contrary, with his dreadful claws, tore away plate 
and mail from the paladin. Rinaldo began to think 
his last hour was come, and cast his eyes around and 
above to see if there was any means of escape. He 
perceived a beam projecting from the wall at the 
height of some ten feet, and, taking a leap almost 
miraculous, he succeeded in reaching it, and in fling- 
ing himself up across it: Here he sat for hours, the 
hideous brute continually trying to reach him. All at 
once, he heard the sound of something coming through 

7 o o o 

the air like a bird, and suddenly Angelica herself 
alighted on the end of the beam. She held something 
in her hand towards him, and spoke to him in a loving 
voice. But the moment Rinaldo saw her, he com- 
manded her to go away, refused all her offers of as- 
sistance, and at length declared that, if she did not 
leave him, he would cast himself down to the monster, 
and meet his fate. 

Angelica, saying she would lose her life rather than 
displease him, departed ; but first she threw to the 
monster a cake of wax she had prepared, and spread 
around him a rope knotted with nooses. The beast 
took the bait, and, finding his' teeth glued together by 
the wax, vented his fury in bounds and leaps, and, 



28 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

soon getting entangled in the nooses, drew them tight 
by his struggles, so that he could scarcely move a 
limb. 

Rinaldo, watching his chance, leapt down upon his 
back, seized him round the neck, and throttled him, 
not relaxing his gripe till the beast fell dead. 

Another difficulty remained to be overcome. The 
walls were of immense height, and the only opening 
in them was a grated window of such strength that 
he could not break the bars. In his distress Rinaldo 
found a file which Angelica had left on the ground, 
and, with the help of this, effected his deliverance. 

What further adventures he met with will be told 
in another chapter. 




THE SIEGE OF ALBRACCA. 



AT the very time when Charlemagne was holding 
his plenary court and his great tournament, his 
kingdom was invaded by a mighty monarch, who was 
moreover so valiant and strong in battle that no one 
could stand against him. He was named Gradasso, 
and his kingdom was called Sericane. Now, as it 
often happens to the greatest and the richest to long 
for what they cannot have, and thus to lose what 
they already possess, this king could not rest content 
without Durindana, the sword of Orlando, and Bay- 
ard, the horse of Rinaldo. To obtain these he deter- 
mined to war upon France, and for this purpose put 
in array a mighty army. 



30 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

He took his way through Spain, and, after defeat- 
ing Marsilius, the king of that country, in several 
battles, was rapidly advancing on France. Charle- 
magne, though Marsilius was a Saracen, and had been 
his enemy, yet felt it needful to succor him in this 
extremity from a consideration of common danger, 
and, with the consent of his peers, despatched Rinaldo 
with a strong body of soldiers against Gradasso. 

There was much fighting, with doubtful results, and 
Gradasso was steadily advancing into France. But, 
impatient to achieve his objects, he challenged Rinaldo 
to single combat, to be fought on foot, and upon these 
conditions : If Rinaldo conquered, Gradasso agreed to 
give up all his prisoners and return to his own 
country ; but if Gradasso won the day, he was to 
have Bayard. 

The challenge was accepted, and would have been 
fought had it not been for the arts of Malagigi, who 
just then returned from Angelica's kingdom with set 
purpose to win Rinaldo to look with favor upon the 
fair princess who was dying for love of him. Malagigi 
drew Rinaldo away from the army, by putting on the 
semblance of Gradasso, and, after a short contest, 
pretending to fly before him, by which means Rinaldo 
was induced to follow him into a boat, in which he 
was borne away, and entangled in various adventures, 
as we have already related. 



THE SIEGE OF ALBRACCA. 31 

The army, left under the command of Ricciardetto, 
Rinaldo's brother, was soon joined by Charlemagne 
and all his peerage, but experienced a disastrous rout, 
and the Emperor and many of his paladins were 
taken prisoners. Gradasso, however, did not abuse 
his victory ; he took Charles by the hand, seated him 
by his side, and told him he warred only for honor. 
He renounced all conquests, on condition that the 
Emperor should deliver to him Bayard and Durin- 
dana, both of them the property of his vassals, the 
former of which, as he maintained, was already for- 
feited to him by Rinaldo's failure to meet him as 
agreed. To these terms Charlemagne readily acceded. 

Bayard, after the departure of his master, had been 
taken in charge by Ricciardetto, and sent back to 
Paris, where Astolpho was in command, in the ab- 
sence of Charlemagne. Astolpho received with great 
indignation the message despatched for Bayard, and 
replied by a herald that " he would not surrender the 
horse of his kinsman Rinaldo, without a, contest. If 
Gradasso wanted the steed, he might come and take 
him, and that he, Astolpho, was ready to meet him in 
the field." 

Gradasso was only amused at this answer, for As- 
tolpho's fame as a successful warrior was not high, 
and Gradasso willingly renewed with him the bargain 



32 . LEGENDS OF CHAELEMAGNE. 

which he had made with Einaldo. On these condi- 
tions the battle was fought. The enchanted lance, in 
the hands of Astolpho, performed a new wonder; and 
Gradasso, the terrible Gradasso, was unhorsed. 

He kept his word, set free his prisoners, and put 
his army on the march to return to his own country, 
renewing his oath, however, not to rest till he had 
taken from Rinaldo his horse, and from Orlando his 
sword, or lost his life in the attempt. 

Charlemagne, full of gratitude to Astolpho, would 
have kept him near his person and loaded him with 
honors, but Astolpho preferred to seek Rinaldo, with 
the view of restoring to him his horse, and departed 
from Paris with that design. 



Our story now returns to Orlando, whom we left 
fascinated with the sight of the sleeping beauty, who, 
however, escaped him while engaged in the combat 
with Ferrau. ^Saving long sought her in vain through 
the recesses of the wood, he resolved to follow her to 
her father's court. Leaving, therefore, the camp of 
Charlemagne, he travelled long in the direction of the 
East, making inquiry everywhere, if, perchance, he 
might get tidings of the fugitive. After many ad- 
ventures, he arrived one day at a place where many 



THE SIEGE OF ALBEACCA. 66 

roads crossed, and, meeting there a courier, lie asked 
him for news. The courier replied, that he had been 
despatched by Angelica to solicit the aid of Sacripant, 
king of Circassia, in favor of her father Galafron, who 
was besieged in his city, Albracca, by Agrican, king 
of Tartary. This Agrican had been an unsuccessful 
suitor to the damsel, whom he now pursued with arms. 
Orlando thus learned that he was within a day's 
journey of Albracca ; and feeling now secure of An- 
gelica, he proceeded with all speed to her city. 

Thus journeying he arrived at a bridge, under 
which flowed a foaming river. Here a damsel met 
him with a goblet, and informed him that it was the 
usage of this bridge to present the traveller with a 
cup. Orlando accepted the offered cup and drank its 
contents. He had no sooner done so than his brain 
reeled, and he became unconscious of the object of 
his journey, and of everything else. Under the in- 
fluence of this fascination he followed the damsel into 
a magnificent and marvellous palace. Here he found 
himself in company with many knights, unknown to 
him and to each other, though if it had not been for 
the Cup of Oblivion of which they all had partaken, 
they would have found themselves brothers in arms. 



2* 



34 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

Astolpho, proceeding on his way to seek Binaldo, 
splendidly dressed and equipped, as was his wont, ar- 
rived in Circassia, and found there a great army 
encamped under the command of Sacripant, the king 
of that country, who was leading it to the defence of 
Galafron, the father of Angelica. Sacripant, much 
struck by the appearance of Astolpho and his horse, 
accosted him courteously, and tried to enlist him in his 
service ; but Astolpho, proud of his late victories, 
scornfully declined his offers, and pursued his way. 
King Sacripant was too much attracted by his appear- 
ance to part with him so easily, and, having laid aside 
his kingly ornaments, set out in pursuit of him. 

Astolpho next day encountered on his way a 
stranger knight, named Sir Florismart, Lord of the 
Sylvan Tower, one of the bravest and best of knights, 
having as his guide a damsel, young, fair, and virtu- 
ous, to whom he was tenderly attached, whose name 
was Flordelis. Astolpho, as he approached, defied the 
knight, bidding him yield the lady, or prepare to 
maintain his right by arms. Florismart accepted the 
contest, and the knights encountered. Florismart was 
unhorsed and his steed fell dead, while Bayard sus- 
tained no injury by the shock. 

Florismart was so overwhelmed with despair at his 
own disgrace and the sight of the damsel's distress, 



THE SIEGE OF ALBRACCA. 35 

that he drew his sword, and was about to plunge it 
into his own bosom. But Astolpho held his hand, 
told him that he contended only for glory, and was 
contented to leave him the lady. 

While Florismart and Flordelis were vowing eter- 
nal gratitude, king Sacripant arrived, and coveting the 
damsel of the one champion as much as the horse and 
arms of the other, defied them to the joust. Astolpho 
met the challenger, whom he instantly overthrew, and 
presented his courser to Florismart, leaving the king 
to return to his army on foot. 

The friends pursued their route, and erelong Flor- 
delis discovered, by signs which were known to her, 
that they were approaching the waters of Oblivion, 
and advised them to turn back, or to change their 
course. This the knights would not hear of, and, 
continuing their march, they soon arrived at the 
bridge where Orlando had been taken prisoner. 

The damsel of the bridge appeared as before with 
the enchanted cup, but Astolpho, forewarned, rejected 
it with scorn. She dashed it to the ground, and a 
fire blazed up which rendered the bridge unapproach- 
able. At the same moment the two knights were 
assailed by sundry warriors, known and unknown, 
who, having no recollection of anything, joined blindly 
in defence of their prison-house. Among these was 



36 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

Orlando, at sight of whom Astolpho, with all his 
confidence not daring to encounter him, turned and 
fled, owing his escape to the strength and fleetness of 
Bayard. 

Florismart, meanwhile, overlaid by fearful odds, 
was compelled to yield to necessity, and comply with 
the usage of the fairy. He drank of the cup, and 
remained prisoner with the rest. Flordelis, deprived 
of her two friends, retired from the scene, and devoted 
herself to untiring efforts to effect her lover's deliver- 
ance. Astolpho pursued his way to Albracca, which 
Agrican was about to besiege. He was kindly 
welcomed by Angelica, and enrolled among her de- 
fenders. Impatient to distinguish himself, he one 
night sallied forth alone, arrived in Agrican's camp, 
and unhorsed his warriors right and left by means of 
the enchanted lance. But he was soon surrounded 
and overmatched, and made prisoner to Agrican. 

Relief was, however, at hand ; for as the citizens 
and soldiers were one day leaning over their walls, 
they descried a cloud of dust, from which horsemen 
were seen to prick forth, as it rolled on towards the 
camp of the besiegers. This turned out to be the 
army of Sacripant, which immediately attacked that of 
Agrican, with the view of cutting a passage through 
his camp to the besieged city. But Agrican, mounted 



THE SIEGE OF ALBRACCA. 37 

upon Bayard, taken from Astolpho, but not armed 
with the lance of gold, the virtues of which were un- 
known to him, performed wonders, and rallied his 
scattered troops, which had given way to the sudden 
and unexpected assault. Sacripant, on the other hand, 
encouraged his men by the most desperate acts of 
valor, having as an additional incentive to his courage 
the sight of Angelica, who showed herself upon the 
city walls. 

There she witnessed a single combat between the 
two leaders, Agrican and Sacripant. In this, at 
length, her defender appeared to be overmatched, 
when the Circassians broke the ring, and separated the 
combatants, who were borne asunder in the rush. 
Sacripant, severely wounded, profited by the con- 
fusion, and escaped into Albracca, where he was 
kindly received and carefully tended by Angelica. 

The battle continuing, the Circassians were at last 
put to flight, and, being intercepted between the 
enemy's lines and the town, sought for refuge under 
the walls. Angelica ordered the drawbridge to be let 
down, and the gates thrown open to the fugitives. 
With these Agrican, not distinguished in the crowd, 
entered the place, driving both Circassians and Ca- 
thayans before him, and the portcullis being dropped, 
he was shut in. 



88 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

For a time the terror which he inspired put to 
flight all opposers, but when at last it came to be 
known that few or none of his followers had effected 
an entrance with him, the fugitives rallied and sur- 
rounded him on all sides. While he was thus appar- 
ently reduced to the last extremities, he was saved 
by the very circumstance which threatened him with 
destruction. The soldiers of Angelica, closing upon 
him from all sides, deserted their defences ; and his 
own besieging army entered the city in a part where 
the wall was broken down. 

In this way was Agrican rescued, the city taken, 
and the inhabitants put to the sword. Angelica, how- 
ever, with some of the knights who were her defend- 
ers, among whom was Sacripant, saved herself in the 
citadel, which was planted upon a rock. 

The fortress was impregnable, but it was scantily 
victualled, and ill provided with other necessaries. 
Under these circumstances, Angelica announced to 
those blockaded with her in the citadel her intention 
to go in quest of assistance, and, having plighted her 
promise of a speedy return, she set out, with the en- 
chanted ring upon her finger. Mounted upon her pal- 
frey, the damsel passed through the enemy's lines, 
and by sunrise was many miles clear of their encamp- 
ment. 



THE SIEGE OF ALBEACCA. 39 

It so happened that her road led her near the fatal 
bridge of Oblivion, and, as she approached it, she met 
a damsel weeping bitterly. It was Flordelis, whose 
lover, Florismart, as we have related, had met the 
fate of Orlando and many more, and fallen a victim 
to the enchantress of the cup. She related her ad- 
ventures to Angelica, and conjured her to lend what 
aid she might to rescue her lord and his companions. 
Angelica, accordingly, watching her opportunity and 
aided by her ring, slipped into the castle unseen, when 
the door was opened to admit a new victim. Here 
she speedily disenchanted Orlando and the rest by a 
touch of her talisman. But Florismart was not there. 
He had been given up to Falerina, a more powerful 
enchantress, and was still in durance. Angelica con- 
jured the rescued captives to assist her in the recovery 
of her kingdom, and all departed together for Al- 
bracca. 

The arrival of Orlando, with his companions, nine 
in all, and among the bravest knights of France, 
changed at once the fortunes of the war. Wherever 
the great paladin came, pennon and standard fell be- 
fore him. Agrican in vain attempted to rally his 
troops. Orlando kept constantly in his front, forcing 
him to attend to nobody else. The Tartar king at 
length bethought him of a stratagem. He turned his 



40 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

horse, and made a show of flying in despair. Orlando 
dashed after him as he desired, and Agrican fled till 
he reached a green place in a wood, where there was 
a fountain. 

The place was beautiful, and the Tartar dismounted 
to refresh himself at the fountain, but without taking 
off his helmet, or laying aside any of his armor. Or- 
lando was quickly at his back, crying out, " So bold, 
and yet a fugitive ! How could you fly from a single 
arm, and think to escape ? " 

The Tartar king had leaped on his saddle the 
moment he saw his enemy, and when the paladin had 
done speaking, he said, in a mild voice, " Without 
doubt you are the best knight I ever encountered, and 
fain would I leave you untouched for your own sake, 
if you would cease to hinder me from rallying my 
people. I pretended to fly, in order to bring you out 
of the field. If you insist upon fighting, I must needs 
fight and slay you, but I call the sun in the heavens 
to witness I would rather not. I should be very sorry 
for your death. 

The Count Orlando felt pity for so much gallantry, 
and he said, " The nobler you show -yourself, the 
more it grieves me to think that, in dying without a 
knowledge of the true faith, you will be lost in the 
other world. Let me advise you to save body and 



THE SIEGE OF ALBRACCA. 41 

soul at once. Receive baptism, and go your way in 
peace." 

Agrican replied : "I suspect you to be the paladin 
Orlando. If you are, I would not lose this opportuni- 
ty of fighting with you to be king of Paradise. Talk 
to me no more about your things of another world, 
for you will preach in vain. Each of us for himself, 
and let the sword be umpire." 

The Saracen drew his sword, boldly advancing 
upon Orlando, and a combat began, so obstinate and 
so long, each warrior being a miracle of prowess, that 
the story says it lasted from noon till night. Orlando 
then, seeing the stars come out, was the first to pro- 
pose a respite. 

"What are we to do," said he, "now that daylight 
has left us ? " 

Agrican answered readily enough, " Let us repose 
in this meadow, and renew the combat at dawn." 

The repose was taken accordingly. Each tied up 
his horse, and reclined himself on the grass, not far 
from the other, just as if they had been friends, 
Orlando by the fountain, Agrican beneath a pine. It 
was a beautifuWclear night, and, as they talked to- 
gether before addressing themselves to sleep, the 
champion of Christendom, looking up at the firma- 
ment, said, " That is a fine piece of workmanship, 



42 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

that starry spectacle ; God made it all, that moon of 
silver, and those stars of gold, and the light of day, 
and the sun, — all for the sake of human kind." 

" You wish, I see, to talk of matters of faith," said 
the Tartar. " Now I may as well tell you at once, 
that I have no sort of skill in such matters, nor learn- 
ing of any kind. I never could learn anything when 
I was a boy. I hated it so that I broke the man's 
head who was commissioned to teach me ; and it pro- 
duced such an effect on others, that nobody ever 
afterwards dared so much as show me a book. My 
boyhood was therefore passed, as it should be, in 
horsemanship and hunting, and learning to fight. 
What is the good of a gentleman's poring all day 
over a book? Prowess to the knight, and preaching 
to the clergyman, that is my motto." 

" I acknowledge," returned Orlando, " that arms 
are the first consideration of a gentleman ; but not at 
all that he does himself dishonor by knowledge. On 
the contrary, knowledge is as great an embellishment 
of the rest of his attainments, as the flowers are to 
the meadow before us ; and as to the knowledge of 
his Maker, the man that is without it is no better 
than a stock or a stone or a brute beast. Neither 
without study can he reach anything of a due sense 
of the depth and divineness of the contemplation." 



THE SIEGE OF ALBRACCA. 43 

" Learned or not learned," said Agrican, " you 
might show yourself better bred than by endeavoring 
to make me talk on a subject on which you have me 
at a disadvantage. If you choose to sleep, I wish you 
good night ; but if you prefer talking, I recommend 
you to talk of fighting or of fair ladies. And, by the 
way, pray tell me, are you not that Orlando who 
makes such a noise in the world ? And what is it, 
pray, that brings you into these parts? Were you 
ever in love ? I suppose you must have been ; for 
to be a knight, and never to have been in love, would 
be like being a man without a heart in his breast." 

The Count replied : " Orlando I am, and in love I 
am. Love has made me abandon everything, and 
brought me into these distant regions, and, to tell you 
all in one word, my heart is in the hands of the 
daughter of King Galafron. You have come against 
him with fire and sword, to get possession of his cas- 
tles and his dominions ; and I have come to help him, 
for no object in the world but to please his daughter 
and win her beautiful hand. I care for nothing else 
in existence." 

Now when the Tartar king, Agrican, heard his 
antagonist speak in this manner, and knew him to be 
indeed Orlando, and to be in love with Angelica, his 
face changed color for grief and jealousy, though it 



44 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

could not be seen for the darkness. His heart began 
beating with such violence that he felt as if he should 
have died. " Well," said he to Orlando, " we are to 
fight when it is daylight, and one or other is to be 
left here, dead on the ground. I have a proposal to 
make to you, — nay, an entreaty. My love is so exces- 
sive for the same lady, that I beg you to leave her 
to me. I will owe you my thanks, and give up the 
siege and put an end to the war. I cannot bear that 
any one should love her, and that I should live to 
see it. Why, therefore, should either of us perish ? 
Give her up. Not a soul shall know it." 

" I never yet," answered Orlando, " made a prom- 
ise which I did not keep, and nevertheless I own to 
you that, were I to make a promise like that, and 
even swear to keep it, I should not. You might as 
well ask me to tear away the limbs from my body, 
and the eyes out of my head. I could as well live 
without breath itself as cease loving Angelica." 

Agrican had hardly patience to let him finish speak- 
ing, ere he leapt furiously on horseback, though it was 
midnight. " Quit her," said he, " or die ! " 

Orlando seeing the infidel getting up, and not being 
sure that he would not add treachery to fierceness, 
had been hardly less quick in mounting for the com- 
bat. " Never," exclaimed he ; " I never could have 



THE SIEGE OF ALBEACCA. 45 

quitted her if I would, and now I would not if I 
could. You must seek her by other means than 
these." 

Fiercely dashed their horses together, in the night- 
time, on the green mead. Despiteful and terrible 
were the blows they gave and took by the moonlight. 
Agrican fought in a rage, Orlando was cooler. And 
now the struggle had lasted more than five hours, 
and day began to dawn, when the Tartar king, furious 
to find so much trouble given him, dealt his enemy a 
blow sharp and violent beyond conception. It cut the 
shield in two as if it had been made of wood, and, 
though blood could not be drawn from Orlando, 
because he was fated, it shook and bruised him as if 
it had started every joint in his body. 

His body only, however, not a particle of his soul. 
So dreadful was the blow which the paladin gave in 
return, that not only shield, but every bit of mail on 
the body of Agrican was broken in pieces, and three 
of his ribs cut asunder. 

The Tartar, roaring like a lion, raised his sword 
with still greater vehemence than before, and dealt a 
blow on the paladin's helmet, such as he had never 
yet received from mortal man. For a moment it 
took away his senses. His sight failed, his ears 
tinkled, his frightened horse turned about to fly ; and 



46 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

he was falling from the saddle, when the very action 
of falling threw his head upwards, and thus recalled 
his recollection. 

"What a shame is this!" thought he; "how shall I 
ever again dare to face Angelica ! I have been fight- 
ing, hour after hour, with this man, and he is but 
one, and I call myself Orlando ! If the combat last 
any longer, I will bury myself in a monastery, and 
never look on sword again." 

Orlando muttered with his lips closed and his teeth 
ground together; and you might have thought that 
fire instead of breath came out of his nose and mouth. 
He raised his sword Durindana with both his hands, 
and sent it down so tremendously on Agrican's 
shoulder, that it cut through breastplate down to the 
very haunch, nay, crushed the saddle-bow, though 
it was made of bone and iron, and felled man and 
horse to the earth. Agrican turned as white as 
ashes, and felt death upon him. He called Orlando 
to come close to him, with a gentle voice, and said, 
as well as he could : " I believe on Him who died on 
the cross. Baptize me, I pray thee, with the foun- 
tain, before my senses are gone. I have lived an evil 
life, but need not be rebellious to God in death also. 
May He who came to save all the rest of the world, 
save me!" And he shed tears, that great king, 
though he had been so lofty and fierce. 



THE SIEGE OF ALBRACCA. 47 

Orlando dismounted quickly, with his own face in 
tears. He gathered the king tenderly in his arms, 
and took and laid him by the fountain, on a marble 
rim that it had, and then he wept in concert with 
him heartily, and asked his pardon, and so baptized 
him in the water of the fountain, and knelt and 
prayed to God for him with joined hands. 

He then paused and looked at him; and when he 
perceived his countenance changed, and that his whole 
person was cold, he left him there on the marble rim 
of the fountain, all armed as he was, with the sword 
by his side, and the crown upon his head. 




ADVENTURES OF RINALDO AND 
ORLANDO. 



WE left Rinaldo when, having overcome the 
monster, he quitted the castle of Altaripa, 
and pursued his way on foot. He soon met with a 
weeping damsel, who, being questioned as to the 
cause of her sorrow, told him she was in search of 
one to do battle to rescue her lover, who had been 
made prisoner by a vile enchantress, together with 
Orlando and many more. The damsel was Flordelis, 
the lady-love of Florismart, and Rinaldo promised his 
assistance, trusting to accomplish the adventure either 
by valor or skill. Flordelis insisted upon Rinaldo's 



ADVENTUEES OF EINALDO AND OELANDO. 49 

taking her horse, which he consented to do, on con- 
dition of her mounting behind him. 

As they rode on through a wood, they heard 
strange noises, and Rinaldo, reassuring the damsel, 
pressed forward towards the quarter from which they 
proceeded. He soon perceived a giant standing under 
a vaulted cavern, with a huge club in his hand, and 
of an appearance to strike the boldest spirit with 
dread. By the side of the cavern was chained a 
griffin, which, together with the giant, was stationed 
there to guard a wonderful horse, the same which 
was once Argalia's. This horse was a creature of 
enchantment, matchless in vigor, speed, and form, 
which disdained to share the diet of his fellow-steeds, 
— corn or grass, — and fed only on air. His name 
was Rabican. 

This marvellous horse, after his master Aro-alia had 
been slain by Ferrau, finding 'himself at liberty, re- 
turned to his native cavern, and was here stabled 
under the protection of the giant and the griffin. As 
Rinaldo approached, the giant assailed him with his 
club. Rinaldo defended himself from the giant's 
blows, and gave him one in return, which, if his skin 
had not been of the toughest, would have finished the 
combat. But the giant, though wounded, escaped, and 
let loose the griffin. This monstrous bird towered in 

3 D 



50 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

air, and thence pounced down upon Rinaldo, who, 
watching his opportunity, dealt her a desperate wound. 
She had, however, strength for another flight, and kept 
repeating her attacks, which Rinaldo parried as he 
could, while the damsel stood trembling by, witnessing 
the contest. 

The battle continued, rendered more terrible by the 
approach of night, when Rinaldo determined upon a 
desperate expedient to bring it to a conclusion. He 
fell, as if fainting from his wounds, and, on the close 
approach of the griffin, dealt her a blow which 
sheared away one of her wings. The beast, though 
sinking, griped him fast with her talons, digging 
through plate and mail; but Rinaldo plied his sword 
in utter desperation, and at last accomplished her de- 
struction. 

Rinaldo then entered the cavern, and found there 
the wonderful horse, all caparisoned. He was coal- 
black, except for a star of white on his forehead, and 
one white foot behind. For speed he was unrivalled, 
though in strength he yielded to Bayard. Rinaldo 
mounted upon Rabican, and issued from the cavern. 

As he pursued his way, he met a fugitive from 
Agrican's army, who gave such an account of the 
prowess of a champion who fought on the side of 
Angelica, that Rinaldo was persuaded this must be 



ADVENTURES OF RINALDO AND ORLANDO. 51 

Orlando, though at a loss to imagine how he could 
have been freed from captivity. He determined to 
repair to the scene of the contest to satisfy his curi- 
osity, and Flordelis, hoping to find Florismart with 
Orlando, consented to accompany him. 

While these things were doing, all was rout and 
dismay in the Tartarian army, from the death of 
Agrican. King Galafron, arriving at this juncture 
with an army for the relief of his capital, Albracca, 
assaulted the enemy's camp, and carried all before 
him. Rinaldo had now reached the scene of action, 
and was looking on as an unconcerned spectator, 
when he was espied by Galafron. The king instantly 
recognized the horse Rabican, which he had given to 
Argalia when he sent him forth on his ill-omened 
mission to Paris. Possessed with the idea that the 
rider of the horse was the murderer of Argalia, Gala- 
fron rode at Rinaldo, and smote him with all his force. 
Rinaldo was not slow to avenge the blow, and it 
would have gone hard with the king had not his fol- 
lowers instantly closed round him and separated the 
combatants. 

Rinaldo thus found himself, almost without his own 
choice, enlisted on the side of the enemies of Angel- 
ica, which gave him no concern, so completely had 
his draught from the fountain of hate steeled his mind 
against her. 



52 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

For several successive days the struggle continued, 
without any important results, Rinaldo meeting the 
bravest knights of Angelica's party, and defeating 
them one after the other. At length he encountered 
Orlando, and the two knights bitterly reproached one 
another for the cause they had each adopted, and en- 
gaged in a furious combat. Orlando was mounted 
upon Bayard, Rinaldo's horse, which Agrican had by 
chance become possessed of, and Orlando had taken 
from him as the prize of victory. Bayard would not 
fight against his master, and Orlando was getting the 
worse of the encounter, when suddenly Rinaldo, seeing 
Astolpho, who for love of him had arrayed himself on 
his side, hard beset by numbers, left Orlando, to rush 
to the defence of his friend. Night prevented the 
combat from being renewed ; but a challenge was 
given and accepted for their next meeting. 

But Angelica, sighing in her heart for Rinaldo, was 
not willing that he should be again exposed to so ter- 
rible a venture. She begged a boon of Orlando, 
promising she would be his, if he would do her bid- 
ding. On receiving his promise, she enjoined him to 
set out without delay to destroy the garden of the 
enchantress Falerina, in which many valiant knights 
had been entrapped, and were imprisoned. 

Orlando departed, on his horse Brigliadoro, leaving 



ADVENTUEES OF BINALDO AND OELANDO. 53 

Bayard in disgrace for his bad deportment the day 
before. Angelica, to conciliate Rinaldo, sent Bayard 
to him; but Rinaldo remained unmoved by this, as by 
all her former acts of kindness. 

When Rinaldo learned Orlando's departure, he 
yielded to the entreaties of the lady of Florismart, 
and prepared to fulfil his promise, and rescue her 
lover from the power of the enchantress. Thus both 
Rinaldo and Orlando were bound upon the same ad- 
venture, but unknown to one another. 

The castle of Falerina was protected by a river, 
which was crossed by a bridge, kept by a ruffian, 
who challenged all comers to the combat; and such 
was his strength that he had thus far prevailed in 
every encounter, as appeared by the arms of various 
knights which he had taken from them, and piled up 
as a trophy on the shore. Rinaldo attacked him, but 
with as bad success as the rest, for the bridge-ward 
struck him so violent a blow with an iron mace, that 
he fell to the ground. But when the villain ap- 
proached to strip him of his armor, Rinaldo seized 
him, and the bridge-ward, being unable to free him- 
self, leapt with Rinaldo into the lake, where they 
both disappeared. 

Orlando meanwhile, in discharge of his promise to 
Angelica, pursued his way in quest of the same adven- 



54 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

ture. In passing through a wood he saw a cavalier 
armed at all points, and mounted, keeping guard over 
a lady who was bound to a tree, weeping bitterly. 
Orlando hastened to her relief, but was exhorted by 
the knight not to interfere, for she had deserved her 
fate by her wickedness. In proof of which he made 
certain charges against her. The lady denied them 
all, and Orlando believed her, defied the knight, over- 
threw him, and, releasing the lady, departed with her 
seated on his horse's croup. 

While they rode, another damsel approached on a 
white palfrey, who warned Orlando of impending 
danger, and informed him that he was near the gar- 
den of the enchantress. Orlando was delighted with 
the intelligence, and entreated her to inform him how 
he was to procure access. She replied that the 
garden could only be entered at sunrise, and gave 
him such instructions as would enable him to gain 
admittance. She gave him also a book in which was 
painted the garden and all that it contained, together 
with the palace of the false enchantress, where she 
had secluded herself for the purpose of executing a 
magic work in which she was engaged. This was 
the manufacture of a sword capable of cutting even 
through enchanted substances. The object of this 
labor, the damsel told him, was the destruction of a 



ADVENTURES OF RINALDO AND ORLANDO. 55 

knight of the west, by name Orlando, who, she had 
read in the book of Fate, was coming to demolish 
her garden. Having thus instructed him, the damsel 
departed. 

Orlando, finding he must delay his enterprise till 
the next morning, now lay down and was soon asleep. 
Seeing this, the base woman whom he had rescued, 
and who was intent on making her escape to rejoin 
her paramour, mounted Brigliadoro, and rode off, 
carrying away Durindana. 

When Orlando awoke, his indignation, as may be 
supposed, was great on the discovery of the theft; but, 
like a good knight and true, he was not to be di- 
verted from his enterprise. He tore off a huge branch 
of an elm to supply the place of his sword; and, as 
the sun rose, took his way towards the gate of the 
garden, where a dragon was on his watch. This he 
slew by repeated blows, and entered the garden, the 
gate of which closed behind him, barring retreat. 
Looking round him, he saw a fair fountain, which 
overflowed into a river, and in the centre of the 
fountain a figure, over whose forehead was written, — 

" The stream which waters violet and rose, 
From hence to the enchanted palace goes." 

Following the banks of this flowing stream, and rapt 
in the delights of the charming garden, Orlando ar- 



56 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

rived at the palace, and entering it, found the mistress, 
clad in white, with a crown of gold upon her head, 
in the act of viewing herself in the surface of the 
magic sword. Orlando surprised her before she could 
escape, deprived her of the weapon, and holding her 
fast by her long hair, which floated behind, threatened 
her with immediate death if she did not yield up her 
prisoners, and afford him the means of egress. She, 
however, was firm of purpose, making no reply, and 
Orlando, unable to move her either by threats or en- 
treaties, was under the necessity of binding her to a 
beech, and pursuing his quest as he best might. 

He then bethought him of his book, and consult- 
ing it, . found that there was an outlet to the south, 
but that to reach it, a lake was to be passed, inhab- 
ited by a siren, whose song was so entrancing as to 
be quite irresistible to whoever heard it ; but his 
book instructed him how to protect himself against 
this danger. According to its directions, while pur- 
suing his path, he gathered abundance of flowers, 
which sprung all around, and filled his helmet and 
his ears with them; then listened if he heard the 
birds sing. Finding that, though he saw the gaping 
beak, the swelling throat, and ruffled plumes, he 
could not catch a note, he felt satisfied with his de- 
fence, and advanced toward the lake. It was small 



ADVENTURES OF RINALDO AND ORLANDO. 57 

but deep, and so clear and tranquil that the eye 
could penetrate to the bottom. 

He had no sooner arrived upon the banks than 
the waters were seen to gurgle, and the siren, rising 
midway out of the pool, sung so sweetly that birds 
and beasts came trooping to the water-side, to listen. 
Of this Orlando heard nothing, but, feigning to yield 
to the charm, sank down upon the bank. The siren 
issued from the water with the intent to accomplish 
his destruction. Orlando seized her by the hair, and 
while she sang yet louder (song being her only de- 
fence) cut off her head. Then, following the direc- 
tions of his book, he stained himself all over with her 
blood. 

Guarded by this talisman, he met successively all 
the monsters set for defence of the enchantress and 
her garden, and at length found himself again at 
the spot where he had made captive the enchantress, 
who still continued fastened to the beech. But the 
scene was changed. The garden had disappeared, 
and Falerina, before so haughty, now begged for 
mercy ; assuring him that many lives depended upon 
the preservation of hers. Orlando promised her life 
upon her pledging herself for the deliverance of her 
captives. 

This, however, was no easy task. They were not 

3* 



58 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

in her possession, but in that of a much more pow- 
erful enchantress, Morgana, the Lady of the Lake, 
the very idea of opposing whom made Falerina turn 
pale with fear. Representing to him the hazards 
of the enterprise, she led him towards the dwell- 
ing of Morgana. To approach it he had to en- 
counter the same uncourteous bridge-ward who had 
already defeated and made captive so many knights, 
and last of all, Rinaldo. He was a churl of the 
most ferocious character, named Arridano. Morgana 
had provided him with impenetrable armor, and en- 
dowed him in such a manner that his strength 
always increased in proportion to that of the adver- 
sary with whom he was matched. No one had ever 
yet escaped from the contest, since, such was his 
power of endurance, he could breathe freely under 
water. Hence, having grappled with a knight, and 
sunk with him to the bottom of the lake, he re- 
turned, bearing his enemy's arms in triumph to the 
surface. 

While Falerina was repeating her cautions and her 
counsels, Orlando saw Kinaldo's arms erected in form 
of a trophy, among other spoils made by the villain, 
and, forgetting their late quarrel, determined upon 
revenging his friend. Arriving at the pass, the churl 
presuming to bar the way, a desperate contest en- 



ADVENTURES OF RINALDO AND ORLANDO. 59 

sued, during which Falerina escaped. The churl 
finding himself overmatched at a contest of arms, 
resorted to his peculiar art, grappled his antagonist, 
and plunged with him into the lake. When he 
reached the bottom Orlando found himself in another 
world, upon a dry meadow, with the lake overhead, 
through which shone the beams of our sun, while 
the water stood on all sides like a crystal wall. 
Here the battle was renewed, and Orlando had in 
his magic sword an advantage which none had hith- 
erto possessed. It had been tempered by Falerina 
so that no spells could avail against it. Thus armed, 
and countervailing the strength of his adversary by 
his superior skill and activity, it was not long before 
he laid him dead upon the field. 

Orlando then made all haste to return to the 
upper air, and, passing through the water, which 
opened a way before him, (such was the power of 
the magic sword,) he soon regained the shore, and 
found himself in a field, as thickly covered with 
precious stones as the sky is with stars. 

Orlando crossed the field, not tempted to delay 
his enterprise by gathering any of the brilliant gems 
spread all around him. He next passed into a flow- 
ery meadow, planted with trees, covered with fruit 
and flowers, and full of all imaginable delights. 



60 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

In the middle of this meadow was a fountain, and, 
fast by it lay Morgana asleep ; a lady of a lovely 
aspect, dressed in white and vermilion garments, her 
forehead well furnished with hair, while she had 
scarcely any behind. 

While Orlando stood in silence contemplating her 
beauty, he heard a voice exclaim, " Seize the fairy by 
the forelock, if thou hopest fair success." But his 
attention was arrested by another object, and he heed- 
ed not the warning. He saw on a sudden an array 
of towers, pinnacles and columns, palaces, with bal- 
conies and windows, extended alleys with trees, in 
short a scene of architectural magnificence surpassing 
all he had ever beheld. While he stood gazing in 
silent astonishment, the scene slowly melted away and 
disappeared.* 

When he had recovered from his amazement, he 
looked again toward the. fountain. The fairy had 
awaked and risen, and was dancing round its border 
with the lightness of a leaf, timing her footsteps to 
this song : — 

" Who in this world would wealth and treasure share, 
Honor, delight, and state, and what is best, 
Quick let him catch me by the lock of hair 
Which flutters from my forehead ; and be blest. 

* This is a poetical description of a phenomenon which is said to be 
really exhibited in the strait of Messina, between Sicily and Calabria. It 
is called Fata Morgana, or Mirage. 



ADVENTURES OF EINALDO AND ORLANDO. 61 

But let him not the proffered good forbear, 

Nor till he seize the fleeting blessing rest ; „ 

For present loss is sought in vain to-morrow, 

And the deluded wretch is left in sorrow." 

The fairy, having sung thus, bounded off, and fled 
from the flowery meadow over a high and inaccessible 
mountain. Orlando pursued her through thorns and 
rocks, while the sky gradually became overcast, and 
at last he was assailed by tempest, lightning, and hail. 

While he thus pursued, a pale and meagre woman 
issued from a cave, armed with a whip, and, treading 
close upon his steps, scourged him with vigorous 
strokes. Her name was Repentance, and she told 
him it was her office to punish those who neglected 
to obey the voice of Prudence, and seize the fairy 
Fortune when he might. 

Orlando, furious at this chastisement, turned upon 
his tormentor, but might as well have stricken the 
wind. Finding it useless to resist, he resumed his 
chase of the fairy, gained upon her, and made frequent 
snatches at her white and vermilion garments, which 
still eluded his grasp. At last, on her turning her 
head for an instant, he profited by the chance, and 
seized her by the forelock. In an instant the tempest 
ceased, the sky became serene, and Repentance re- 
treated to her cave. 

Orlando now demanded of Morgana the keys of 



62 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

her prison, and the fairy, feigning a complacent 
aspect, delivered up a key of silver, bidding him to 
be cautious in the use of it, since to break the lock 
would be to involve himself and all in inevitable de- 
struction ; a caution which gave the Count room for 
long meditation, and led him to consider 

How few amid the suitors who importune 

The dame, know how to turn the keys of Fortune. 

Keeping the fairy still fast by the forelock, Orlando 
proceeded toward the prison, turned the key, without 
occasioning the mischiefs apprehended, and delivered 
the prisoners. 

Among these were Florismart, Rinaldo, and many 
others of the bravest knights of France. Morgana 
had disappeared, and the knights, under the guidance 
of Orlando, retraced the path by which he had come. 
They soon reached the field of treasure. Rinaldo, 
finding himself amidst this mass of wealth, remembered 
his needy garrison of Montalban, and could not resist 
the temptation of seizing part of the booty. In par- 
ticular a golden chain, studded with diamonds, was too 
much for his self-denial, and he took it and was bear- 
ing it off, notwithstanding the remonstrances of Orlan- 
do, when a violent wind caught him and whirled him 
back, as he approached the gate. This happened a 
second and a third time, and Rinaldo at length yield- 



ADVENTURES OF RINALDO AND ORLANDO. 63 

ed to necessity, rather than to the entreaties of his 
friends, and cast away his prize. 

They soon reached the bridge and passed over with- 
out hinderance to the other side, where they found 
the trophy decorated with their arms. Here each 
knight resumed his own, and all, except the paladins 
and their friends, separated as their inclinations or 
duty prompted. Dudon, the Dane, one of the rescued 
knights, informed the cousins that he had been made 
prisoner by Morgana while in the discharge of an em- 
bassy to them from Charlemagne, who called upon 
them to return to the defence of Christendom. Orlan- 
do was too much fascinated by Angelica to obey this 
summons, and, followed by the faithful Florismart, who 
would not leave him, returned towards Albracca. Ri- 
naldo, Dudon, Iroldo, Prasildo, and the others, took 
their way toward the west. 




THE INVASION OF FRANCE. 



AGRAMANT, King of Africa, convoked the 
kings, his vassals, to deliberate in council. He 
reminded them of the injuries he had sustained from 
France, that his father had fallen in battle with Charle- 
magne, and that his early years had hitherto not 
allowed him to wipe out the stain of former defeats. 
He now proposed to them to carry war into France. 

Sobrino, his wisest councillor, opposed the project, 
representing the rashness of it ; but Rodomont, the 
young and fiery king of Algiers, denounced Sobrino's 
counsel as base and cowardly, declaring himself impa- 
tient for the enterprise. The king of the Garamantes, 



THE INVASION OF FKANCE. 65 

venerable for his age and renowned for his prophetic 
lore, interposed, and assured the King that such an 
attempt would be sure to fail, unless he could first 
get on his side a youth marked out by destiny as the 
fitting compeer of the most puissant knights of France, 
the young Rogero, descended in direct line from 
Hector of Troy. This prince was now a dweller 
upon the mountain Carena, where Atlantes, his foster- 
father, a powerful magician, kept him in retirement, 
having discovered by his art that his pupil would be 
lost to him if allowed to mingle with the world. To 
break the spells of Atlantes, and draw Rogero from 
his retirement, one only means was to be found. It 
was a ring possessed by Angelica, Princess of Cathay, 
which was a talisman against all enchantments. If 
this ring could be procured, all would go well ; with- 
out it, the enterprise was desperate. 

Rodomont treated this declaration of the old prophet 
with scorn, and it would probably have been held of 
little weight by the council, had not the aged king, 
oppressed by the weight of years, expired in the very 
act of reaffirming his prediction. This made so deep 
an impression on the council, that it was unanimously 
resolved to postpone the war until an effort should be 
made to win Rogero to the camp. 

King Agramant thereupon proclaimed that the sov- 



66 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

ereignty of a kingdom should be the reward of who- 
ever should succeed in obtaining the ring of Angelica. 
Brunello, the dwarf, the subtlest thief in all Africa, 
undertook to procure it. 

In prosecution of this design, he made the best 
of his way to Angelica's kingdom, and arrived be- 
neath the walls of Albracca while the besieging armv 
was encamped before the fortress. While the atten- 
tion of the garrison was absorbed by the battle that 
raged below, he scaled the walls, approached the 
Princess unnoticed, slipped the ring from her finger, 
and escaped unobserved. He hastened to the seaside, 
and, finding a vessel ready to sail, embarked, and ar- 
rived at Biserta, in Africa. Here he found Agramant, 
impatient for the talisman which was to foil the en- 
chantments of Atlantes and to put Rogero into his 
hands. The dwarf, kneeling before the King, pre- 
sented him with the ring, and Agramant, delighted at 
the success of his mission, crowned him in recompense 
King of Tingitana. 

All were now anxious to go in quest of Rogero. 
The cavalcade accordingly departed, and in due time 
arrived at the mountain of C arena. 

At the bottom of this was a fruitful and well-wood- 
ed plain, watered by a large river, and from this 
plain was descried a beautiful garden on the moun- 



THE INVASION OF FRANCE. 67 

tain-top, which contained the mansion of Atlantes ; 
but the ring, which discovered what was before invisi- 
ble, could not, though it revealed this paradise, enable 
Agramant or his followers to enter it. So steep and 
smooth was the rock by nature, that even Brunello 
failed in every attempt to scale it. He did not, for 
this, despair of accomplishing the object ; but, having 
obtained Agramant's consent, caused the assembled 
courtiers and knights to celebrate a tournament upon 
the plain below. This was done with the view of 
seducing Rogero from his fastness, and the stratagem 
was attended with success. 

Rogero joined the tourney, and was presented by 
Agramant with a splendid horse, Frontino, and a 
magnificent sword. Having learned from Agramant 
his intended invasion of France, he gladly consented 
to join the expedition. 

Rodomont, meanwhile, was too impatient to wait 
for Agramant's arrangements, and embarked with all 
the forces he could raise, made good his landing on 
the coast of France, and routed the Christians in 
several encounters. Previously to this, however, Gano, 
or Ganelon (as he is sometimes called), the traitor, 
enemy of Orlando and the other nephews of Charle- 
magne, had entered into a traitorous correspondence 
with Marsilius, the Saracen king of Spain, whom he 



68 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

invited into France. Marsilius, thus encouraged, led 
an army across the frontiers, and joined Rodomont. 
This was the situation of things when Rinaldo and 
the other knights who had obeyed the summons of 
Dudon set forward on their return to France. 

When they arrived at Buda in Hungary, they 
found the king of that country about despatching his 
son, Ottachiero, with an army to the succor of Charle- 
magne. Delighted with the arrival of Rinaldo, he 
placed his son and troops under his command. In 
due time the army arrived on the frontiers of France, 
and, united with the troops of Desiderius, king of 
Lombardy, poured down into Provence. The con- 
federate armies had not marched many days through 
this gay tract, before they heard a crash of drums and 
trumpets behind the hills, which spoke the conflict 
between the paynims, led by Rodomont, and the 
Christian forces. Rinaldo, witnessing from a moun- 
tain the prowess of Rodomont, left his troops in 
charge of his friends, and galloped towards him with 
his lance in rest. The impulse was irresistible, and 
Rodomont was unhorsed. But Rinaldo, unwilling to 
avail himself of his advantage, galloped back to the 
hill, and, having secured Bayard among the baggage, 
returned to finish the combat on foot. 

During this interval the battle had become general, 



THE INVASION OF FRANCE. 69 

the Hungarians were routed, and Rinaldo, on his re- 
turn, had the mortification to find that Ottachiero was 
wounded, and Dudon taken prisoner. While he 
sought Rodomont in order to renew the combat, a 
new sound of drums and trumpets was heard, and 
Charlemagne, with the main body of his army, was 
descried advancing in battle array. 

Rodomont, seeing this, mounted the horse of Dudon, 
left Rinaldo, who was on foot, and galloped off to 
encounter this new enemy. 

Agramant, accompanied by Rogero, had by this 
time made good his landing, and joined Rodomont 
with all his forces. Rogero eagerly embraced this 
first opportunity of distinguishing himself, and spread 
terror wherever he went, encountering in turn, and 
overthrowing many of the bravest knights of France. 
At length he found himself opposite to Rinaldo, who, 
being interrupted, as we have said, in his combat with 
Rodomont, and unable to follow him, being on foot, 
was shouting to his late foe to return and finish their 
combat. Rogero also was on foot, and seeing the 
Christian knight so eager for a contest, proffered him- 
self to supply the place of his late antagonist. Ri- 
naldo saw at a glance that the Moorish prince was a 
champion worthy of his arm, and gladly accepted the 
defiance. The combat was stoutly maintained for a 



70 LEGENDS OF CHAKLEMAGNE. 

time; but now fortune declared decisively in favor of 
the infidel army, and Charlemagne's forces gave way 
at all points in irreparable confusion. The two com- 
batants were separated by the crowd of fugitives and 
pursuers, and Rinaldo hastened to recover possession 
of his horse. But Bayard, in the confusion, had got 
loose, and Rinaldo followed him into a thick wood, 
thus becoming effectually separated from Rogero. 

Rogero, also seeking his horse in the medley, came 
where two warriors were eno-aged in mortal combat. 
Though he knew not who they were, he could dis- 
tinguish that one was a paynim and the other a 
Christian ; and, moved by the spirit of courtesy, he 
approached them, and exclaimed, " Let him of the two 
who worships Christ pause, and hear what I have to 
say. The army of Charles is routed and in flight, so 
that if he wishes to follow his leader he has no time 
for delay." The Christian knight, who was none 
other than Bradamante, a . female warrior, in prowess 
equal to the best of knights, was thunderstruck with 
the tidings, and would gladly leave the contest unde- 
cided, and retire from the field ; but Rodomont, her 
antagonist, would by no means consent. Rogero, 
indignant at his discourtesy, insisted upon her depart- 
ure, while he took up her quarrel with Rodomont. 

The combat, obstinately maintained on both sides, 



THE INVASION OF FRANCE. 71 

was interrupted by the return of Bradamante. Find- 
ing herself unable to overtake the fugitives, and reluc- 
tant to leave to another the burden and risk of a 
contest which belonged to herself, she had returned to 
reclaim the combat. She arrived, however, when her 
champion had dealt his enemy such a blow as obliged 
him to drop both his sword and bridle. Rogero, dis- 
daining to profit by his adversary's defenceless situa- 
tion, sat apart, upon his horse, while that of Rodo- 
mont bore his rider, stunned and stupefied, about the 
field. 

Bradamante approached Rogero, conceiving a yet 
higher opinion of his valor on beholding such an in- 
stance of forbearance. She addressed him, excusing 
herself for leaving him exposed to an enemy from his 
interference in her cause ; pleading her duty to her 
sovereign as the motive. While she spoke, Rodomont, 
recovered from his confusion, rode up to them. His 
bearing was, however, changed ; and he disclaimed 
all thoughts of further contest with one who, he said, 
"had already conquered him by his courtesy." So 
saying, he quitted his antagonist, picked up his sword, 
and spurred out of sight. 

Bradamante was now again desirous of retiring from 
the field, and Rogero insisted on accompanying her, 
though yet unaware of her sex. 



72 LEGENDS OF CHAELEMAGNE. 

As they pursued their way, she inquired the name 
and quality of her new associate ; and Rogero informed 
her of his nation and family. He told her that Asty- 
anax, the son of Hector of Troy, established the king- 
dom of Messina in Sicily. From him were derived 
two branches, which gave origin to two families of 
renown. From one sprang the royal race of Pepin 
and Charlemagne, and from the other, that of Reggio, 
in Italy. " From that of Reggio am I derived," he 
continued. " My mother, driven from her home by 
the chance of war, died in giving me life, and I was 
taken in charge by a sage enchanter, who trained me 
to feats of arms amidst the dangers of the desert and 
the chase." 

Having thus ended his tale, Rogero entreated a 
similar return of courtesy from his companion, who 
replied, without disguise, that she was of the race of 
Clermont, and sister to Rinaldo, whose fame was per- 
haps known to him. Rogero, much moved by this 
intelligence, entreated her to take off her helmet, and, 
at the discovery of her face, remained transported with 
delight. 

While absorbed in this contemplation, an unexpected 
danger assailed them. A party which was placed in a 
wood, in order to intercept the retreating Christians, 
broke from its ambush upon the pair, and Brada- 



THE INVASION OF FRANCE. 73 

mante, who was uncasqued, was wounded in the head. 
Rogero was in fury at this attack; and Bradamante, 
replacing her helmet, joined him in taking speedy ven- 
geance on their enemies. They cleared the field of 
them, but became separated in the pursuit ; and Roge- 
ro, quitting the chase, wandered by hill and vale in 
search of her whom he had no sooner found than lost. 

While pursuing this quest, he fell in with two 
knights, whom he joined, and engaged them to assist 
him in the search of his companion, describing her 
arms, but concealing, from a certain feeling of jealousy, 
her quality and sex. 

It was evening when they joined company, and 
having ridden together through the night, the morn- 
ing was beginning to break, when one of the strangers, 
fixing his eyes upon Rogero's shield, demanded of him 
by what right he bore the Trojan arms. Rogero de- 
clared his origin and race, and then, in his turn, inter- 
rogated the inquirer as to his pretensions to the cog- 
nizance of Hector, which he bore. The stranger 
replied, " My name is Mandricardo, son of Agrican, 
the Tartar king, whom Orlando treacherously slew. 
I say treacherously, for in fair fight he could not have 
done it. It is in search of him that I have come to 
France, to take vengeance for my father, and to wrest 
from him Durindana, that famous sword, which be- 



74 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

longs to me, and not to him." When the knights 
demanded to know by what right he claimed Durin- 
dana, Mandricardo thus related his history : — 

"I had been, before the death of my father, a wild 
and reckless youth. That event awakened my ener- 
gies, and drove me forth to seek for vengeance. 
Determined to owe success to nothing but my own 
exertions, I departed without attendants or horse or 
arms. Travelling thus alone, and on foot, I espied 
one day a pavilion, pitched near a fountain, and en- 
tered it, intent on adventure. I found therein a dam- 
sel of gracious aspect, who replied to my inquiries, 
that the fountain was the work of a fairy, whose castle 
stood beyond a neighboring hill, where she kept watch 
over a treasure which many knights had tried to win, 
but fruitlessly, having lost their life or liberty in the 
attempt. This treasure was the armor of Hector, 
prince of Troy, whom Achilles treacherously slew. 
Nothing was wanting but his sword Durindana, and 
this had fallen into the possession of a queen named 
Penthesilea, from whom it passed through her descend- 
ants to Almontes, whom Orlando slew, and thus 
became possessed of the sword. The rest of Hector's 
arms were saved and carried off by ^Eneas, from 
whom this fairy received them in recompense of ser- 
vice rendered. " If you have the courage to attempt 



THE INVASION OF FRANCE. 75 

their acquisition," said the damsel, "I will be your 
guide." 

Mandricardo went on to say that he eagerly em- 
braced the proposal, and being provided with horse 
and armor by the damsel, set forth on his enterprise, 
the lady accompanying him. 

As they rode, she explained the dangers of the 
quest. The armor was defended by a champion, one 
of the numerous unsuccessful adventurers for the prize, 
all of whom had been made prisoners by the fairy and 
compelled to take their turn, clay by day, in defending 
the arms against all comers. Thus speaking they 
arrived at the castle, which was of alabaster, overlaid 
with gold. Before it, on a lawn, sat an armed knight 
on horseback, who was none other than Gradasso, 
king of Sericane, who, in his return home from his 
unsuccessful inroad into France, had fallen into the 
power of the fairy, and was held to do her bidding. 
Mandricardo, upon seeing him, dropt his visor, and 
laid his lance in rest. The champion of the castle 
was equally ready, and each spurred towards his op- 
ponent. They met one another with equal force, 
splintered their spears, and, returning to the charge, 
encountered with their swords. The contest was long 
and doubtful, when Mandricardo, determined to bring 
it to an end, threw his arms about Gradasso, grappled 



76 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

with him, and both fell to the ground. Mandricardo, 
however, fell uppermost, and, preserving his advan- 
tage, compelled Gradasso to yield himself conquered. 
The damsel now interfered, congratulating the victor, 
and consoling the vanquished as well as she might. 

Mandricardo and the damsel proceeded to the gate 
of the castle, which they found undefended. As they 
entered, they beheld a shield suspended from a pilaster 
of gold. The device was a white eagle on an azure 
field, in memory of the bird of Jove, which bore away 
Ganymede, the flower of the Phrygian race. Beneath 
was engraved the following couplet : — 

" Let none with hand profane my buckler wrong 
Unless he be himself as Hector strong." 

The damsel, alighting from her palfrey, made obei- 
sance to the arms, bending herself to the ground. 
The Tartar king bowed his head with equal rever- 
ence ; then advancing towards the shield, touched it 
with his sword. Thereupon an earthquake shook the 
ground, and the way by which he had entered 
closed. Another and an opposite gate opened, and 
displayed a field bristling with stalks and grain of 
gold. The damsel, upon this, told him that he had 
no means of retreat but by cutting down the harvest 
which was before him, and by uprooting a tree 
which grew in the middle of the field. Mandri- 



THE INVASION OF FEANCE. 77 

cardo, without replying, began to mow the harvest 
with his sword, but had scarce smitten thrice when 
he perceived that every stalk that fell was instantly 
transformed into some poisonous or ravenous animal, 
which prepared to assail him. Instructed by the 
damsel, he snatched up a stone and cast it among 
the pack. A strange wonder followed; for no sooner 
had the stone fallen among the beasts, than they 
turned their rage against one another, and rent each 
other to pieces. Mandricardo did not stop to marvel 
at the miracle, but proceeded to fulfil his task, and 
uproot the tree. He clasped it round the trunk, 
and made vigorous efforts to tear it up by the roots. 
At each effort fell a shower of leaves, that were in- 
stantly changed into birds of prey, which attacked 
the knight, flapping their wings in his face, with 
horrid screeching. But undismayed by this new an- 
noyance, he continued to tug at the trunk till it yield- 
ed to his efforts. A burst of wind and thunder 
followed, and the hawks and vultures flew scream- 
ing away. 

But these only gave place to a new foe ; for from 
the hole made by tearing up the tree issued a furi- 
ous serpent, and, darting at Mandricardo, wound her- 
self about his limbs with a strain that almost crushed 
him. Fortune, however, again stood his friend, for, 



78 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

writhing under the folds of the monster, he fell back- 
wards into the hole, and his enemy was crushed be- 
neath his weight. 

Mandricardo, when he was somewhat recovered, 
and assured himself of the destruction of the serpent, 
began to contemplate the place into which he had 
fallen, and saw that he was in a vault, incrusted 
with costly metals, and illuminated by a live coal. 
In the middle was a sort of ivory bier, and upon 
this was extended what appeared to be a knight in 
armor, but was in truth an empty trophy, composed 
of the rich and precious arms once Hector's, to 
which nothing was wanting but the sword. While 
Mandricardo stood contemplating the prize, a door 
opened behind him, and a bevy of fair damsels en- 
tered, dancing, who, taking up the armor, piece by 
piece, led him away to the place where the shield 
was suspended; where he found the fairy of the 
castle seated in state. By her he was invested with 
the arms he had won, first pledging his solemn oath 
to wear no other blade but Durindana, which he was 
tp wrest from Orlando, and thus complete the con- 
quest of Hector's arms. 







THE INVASION OF FRANCE, 



Continued. 



MANDRICARDO, having completed his story, 
now turned to Rogero, and proposed that 
arms should decide which of the two was most 
worthy to bear the symbol of the Trojan knight. 

Rogero felt no other objection to this proposal 
than the scruple which arose on observing that his 
antagonist was without a sword. Mandricardo in- 
sisted that this need be no impediment, since his 
oath prevented him from using a sword until he 
should have achieved the conquest of Durindana. 

This was no sooner said than a new antagonist 



80 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

started up in Gradasso, who now accompanied Man- 
dricardo. Gradasso vindicated his prior right to Du- 
rindana, to obtain which he had embarked (as was 
related in the beginning) in that bold inroad upon 
France. A quarrel was thus kindled between the 
kings of Tartary and Sericane. While the dispute 
was raging, a knight arrived upon the ground, ac- 
companied by a damsel, to whom Rogero related 
the cause of the strife. The knight was Florismart, 
and his companion Flor delis. Florismart succeeded 
in bringing the two champions to accord, by inform- 
ing them that he could bring them to the presence 
of Orlando, the master of Durindana. 

Gradasso and Mandricardo readily made truce, in 
order to accompany Florismart, nor would Rogero be 
left behind. 

As they proceeded on their quest, they were met 
by a dwarf, who entreated their assistance in behalf 
of his lady, who had been carried off by an en- 
chanter, mounted on a winged horse. However un- 
willing to leave the question of the sword undecided, 
it was not possible for the knights to resist this appeal. 
Two of their number, Gradasso and Rogero, there- 
fore accompanied the dwarf, Mandricardo persisted in 
his search for Orlando, and Florismart, with Florde- 
lis, pursued their way to the camp of Charlemagne. 



THE INVASION OF FRANCE. 8J 

Atlantes, the enchanter, who had brought up Roge- 
ro, and cherished for him the warmest affection, knew 
by his art that his pupil was destined to be severed 
from him, and converted to the Christian faith through 
the influence of Bradamante, that royal maiden with 
whom chance had brought him acquainted. Thinking 
to thwart the will of Heaven in this respect, he now 
put forth all his arts to entrap Rogero into his power. 
By the aid of his subservient demons, he reared a cas- 
tle on an inaccessible height, in the Pyrenean moun- 
tains, and, to make it a pleasant abode to his pupil, 
contrived to entrap and convey thither knights and 
damsels many a one, whom chance had brought into 
the vicinity of his castle. Here, in a sort of sensual 
paradise, they were but too willing to forget glory 
and duty, and to pass their time in indolent enjoy- 
ment. 

It was by the enchanter that the dwarf had now 
been sent to tempt the knights into his power. 

But we must now return to Rinaldo, whom we left 
interrupted in his combat with Rodomont. In search 
of his late antagonist, and intent on bringing their 
combat to a decision, he entered the forest of Arden, 
whither he suspected Rodomont had gone. While en- 
gaged on this quest, he was surprised by the vision of 
a beautiful child dancing naked, with three damsels as 

4* F 



-82 LEGENDS OF CHAKLEMAGNE. 

beautiful as himself. While he was lost in admiration 
at the sight, the child approached him, and, throwing 
at him handfuls of roses and lilies, struck him from his 
horse. He was no sooner down than he was seized 
by the dancers, by whom he was dragged about and 
scourged with flowers till he fell into a swoon. When 
he began to revive, one of the group approached him, 
and told him that his punishment was the consequence 
of his rebellion against that power before whom all 
things bend; that there was but one remedy to heal 
the wounds that had been inflicted, and that was to 
drink of the waters of Love. Then they left him. 

Binaldo, sore and faint, dragged himself toward a 
fountain which flowed near by, and, being parched 
with thirst, drank greedily and almost unconsciously 
of the water, which was sweet to the taste, but bitter 
at the heart. After repeated draughts he recovered 
his strength and recollection, and found himself in the 
same place where Angelica had formerly awakened 
him with a rain of flowers, and whence he had fled 
in contempt of her courtesy. 

This remembrance of the scene was followed by 
the recognition of his crime; and, repenting bitterly 
his ingratitude, he leaped upon Bayard, with the in- 
tention of hastening to Angelica's country, and solicit- 
ing his pardon at her feet. 



THE INVASION OF FKANCE. 83 

Let us now retrace our steps, and revert to the 
time when the paladins, having learned from Dudon 
the summons of Charlemagne to return to France to 
repel the invaders, had all obeyed the command with 
the exception of Orlando, whose passion for Angelica 
still held him in attendance on her. Orlando, arriving 
before Albracca, found it closely beleaguered. He, 
however, made his way into the citadel, and related 
his adventures to Angelica, from the time of his de- 
parture up to his separation from Rinaldo and the 
rest, when they departed to the assistance of Charle- 
magne. Angelica, in return, described the distresses 
of the garrison, and the force of the besiegers ; and 
in conclusion prayed Orlando to favor her escape from 
the pressing danger, and escort her into France. Or- 
lando, who did not suspect that love for Rinaldo was 
her secret motive, joyfully agreed to the proposal, and 
the sally was resolved upon. 

Leaving lights burning in the fortress, they departed 
at nightfall, and passed in safety through the enemy's 
camp. After encountering numerous adventures, they 
reached the sea-side, and embarked on board a pinnace 
for France. The vessel arrived safely, and the travel- 
lers, disembarking in Provence, pursued their way by 
land. One day, heated and weary, they sought shel- 
ter from the sun in the forest of Arden, and chance 



84 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE 

directed Angelica to the fountain of Disdain, of whose 
waters she eagerly drank. 

Issuing thence, the Count and damsel encountered a 
stranger-knight. It was no other than Binaldo, who 
was just on the point of setting off on a pilgrimage in 
search of Angelica, to implore her pardon for his in- 
sensibility, and urge his new-found passion. Surprise 
and delight at first deprived him of utterance, but 
soon recovering himself, he joyfully saluted her, claim- 
ing her as his, and exhorting her to put herself under 
his protection. His presumption was repelled by 
Angelica with disdain, and Orlando, enraged at the 
invasion of his rights, challenged him to decide their 
claims by arms. 

Terrified at the combat which ensued, Angelica fled 
amain through the forest, and came out upon a plain 
covered with tents. This was the camp of Charle- 
magne, who led the army of reserve destined to sup- 
port the troops which had advanced to oppose Mar- 
silius. Charles, having heard the damsel's tale, with 
difficulty separated the two cousins, and then con- 
signed Angelica, as the cause of quarrel, to the care 
of Namo, Duke of Bavaria, promising that she should 
be his who should best deserve her in the impending 
battle. 

But these plans and hopes were frustrated. The 



THE INVASION OF FRANCE. 85 

Christian army, beaten at all points, fled from the 
Saracens ; and Angelica, indifferent to both her lovers, 
mounted a swift palfrey and plunged into the forest, 
rejoicing, in spite of her terror, at having regained 
her liberty. She stopped at last in a tufted grove, 
where a gentle zephyr blew, and whose young trees 
were watered by two clear runnels, which came and 
mingled their waters, making a pleasing murmur. 
Believing herself far from Rinaldo, and overcome by 
fatigue and the summer heat, she saw with delight 
a bank covered with flowers, so thick that they 
almost hid the green turf, inviting her to alight and 
rest. She dismounted from her palfrey, and turned 
him loose to recruit his strength with the tender 
grass which bordered the streamlets. Then, in a 
sheltered nook tapestried with moss and fenced in 
with roses and hawthorn-flowers, she yielded herself 
to grateful repose. 

She had not slept long when she was awakened 
by the noise made by the approach of a horse. 
Starting up she saw an armed knight who had 
arrived at the bank of the stream. Not knowing 
whether he was to be feared or not, her heart beat 
with anxiety. She pressed aside the leaves to allow 
her to see who it was, but scarce dared to breathe 
for fear of betraying herself. Soon the knight threw 



86 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

himself on the flowery bank, and, leaning his head 
on his hand, fell into a profound reverie. Then 
arousing himself from his silence, he began to pour 
forth complaints, mingled with deep sighs. Rivers 
of tears flowed down his cheeks, and his breast seemed 
to labor with a hidden flame. " Ah, vain regrets ! " 
he exclaimed ; " cruel fortune ! others triumph, while 
I endure hopeless misery ! Better a thousand times 
to lose life, than wear a chain so disgraceful and so 
oppressive ! " 

Angelica by this time had recognized the stranger, 
and perceived that it was Sacripant, king of Circassia, 
one of the worthiest of her suitors. This prince had 
followed Angelica from his country, at the very gates 
of the day, to France, where he heard with dismay 
that she was under the guardianship of the Paladin 
Orlando, and that the Emperor had announced his 
decree to award her as the prize of valor to that 
one of his nephews who should best deserve her. 

As Sacripant continued to lament, Angelica, who 
had always opposed the hardness of marble to his 
sighs, thought with herself that nothing forbade her 
employing his good offices in this unhappy crisis. 
Though firmly resolved never to accept him as a 
spouse, she yet felt the necessity of giving him a 
gleam of hope in reward for the service she required 



THE INVASION OF FRANCE. 87 

of him. All at once, like Diana, she stepped forth 
from the arbor. " May the gods preserve thee," 
she said, " and put far from thee all hard thoughts 
of me ! " Then she told him all that had befallen 
her since she parted with him at her father's court, 
and how she had availed herself of Orlando's protec- 
tion to escape from the beleaguered city. At that 
moment the noise of horse and armor was heard as of 
one approaching; and Sacripant, furious at the inter- 
ruption, resumed his helmet, mounted his horse, and 
placed his lance in rest. He saw a knight advancing, 
with scarf and plume of snowy whiteness. Sacripant 
regarded him with angry eyes, and, while he was yet 
some distance off, defied him to the combat. The 
other, not moved by his angry tone to make reply, 
put himself on his defence. Their horses, struck at 
the same moment with the spur, rushed upon one 
another with the impetuosity of a tempest. Their 
shields were pierced each with the other's lance, and 
only the temper of their breastplates saved their lives. 
Both the horses recoiled with the violence of the 
shock ; but the unknown knight's recovered itself at 
the touch of the spur ; the Saracen king's fell dead, 
and bore down his master with him. The white 
knight, seeing his enemy in this condition, cared not 
to renew the combat, but, thinking he had done 



88 LEGENDS OF CHAELEMAGNE. 

enough for glory, pursued his way through the forest, 
and was a mile off before Sacripant had got free from 
his horse. 

As a ploughman, stunned by a thunder-clap which 
has stricken dead the oxen at his plough, stands 
motionless, sadly contemplating his loss, so Sacripant 
stood confounded and overwhelmed with mortification 
at having Angelica a witness of his defeat. He 
groaned, he sighed, less from the pain of his bruises 
than for the shame of being reduced to such a state 
before her. The princess took pity on him, and con- 
soled him as well as she could. " Banish your re- 
grets, my lord," she said, " this accident has happened 
solely in consequence of the feebleness of your horse, 
which had more need of rest and food than of such 
an encounter as this. Nor can your adversary gain 
any credit by it, since he has hurried away, not ven- 
turing a second trial." While she thus consoled 
Sacripant they perceived a person approach, who 
seemed a courier, with bag and horn. As soon as 
he came up, he accosted Sacripant, and inquired if he 
had seen a knight pass that way, bearing a white 
shield and with a white plume to his helmet. " I 
have, indeed, seen too much of him," said Sacripant, 
" it is he who has brought me to the ground ; but at 
least I hope to learn from you who that knight is." 



THE INVASION OF FEANCE. 8° 

* ; That I can easily inform yon," said the man ; " know 
then that, if yon have been overthrown, yon owe your 
fate to the high prowess of a lady as beautiful as she 
is brave. It is the fair and illustrious Bradamante 
who has won from you the honors of victory." 

At these words the courier rode on his way, leaving 
Sacripant more confounded and mortified than ever. 
In silence he mounted the horse of Angelica, taking 
the lady behind him on the croup, and rode away in 
search of a more secure asylum. Hardly had they 
ridden two miles when a new sound was heard in the 
forest, and they perceived a gallant and powerful horse, 
which, leaping the ravines and dashing aside the 
branches that opposed his passage, appeared before 
them, accoutred with a rich harness adorned with gold. 

" If I may believe my eyes, which penetrate with 
difficulty the underwood," said Angelica, " that horse 
that dashes so stoutly through the bushes is Bayard, 
and I marvel how he seems to know the need we 
have of him, mounted as we are both on one feeble 
animal." Sacripant, dismounting from the palfrey, ap- 
proached the fiery courser, and attempted to seize his 
bridle, but the disdainful animal, turning from him, 
launched at him a volley of kicks enough to have 
shattered a wall of marble. Bayard then approached 
Angelica with an air as gentle and loving as a faith- 



90 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

fill dog could his master, after a long separation. For 
he remembered how she had caressed him, and even 
fed him, in Albracca. She took his bridle in her left 
hand, while with her right she patted his neck. The 
beautiful animal, gifted with wonderful intelligence, 
seemed to submit entirely. Sacripant, seizing the 
moment to vault upon him, controlled his curvetings, 
and Angelica, quitting the croup of the palfrey, re- 
gained her seat. 

But, turning his eyes toward a place where was 
heard a noise of arms, Sacripant beheld Rinaldo. 
That hero now loves Angelica more than his life, 
and she flies him as the timid crane the falcon. 

The fountain of which Angelica had drunk produced 
such an effect on the beautiful queen, that, with dis- 
tressed countenance and trembling voice, she conjured 
Sacripant not to wait the approach of Rinaldo, but to 
join her in flight. 

" Am I, then," said Sacripant, " of so little esteem 
with you that you doubt my power to defend you? 
Do you forget the battle of Albracca, and how, in 
your defence, I fought single-handed against Agrican 
and all his knights ? " 

Angelica made no reply, uncertain what to do ; but 
already Rinaldo was too near to be escaped. He 
advanced menacingly to the Circassian king, for he 
recognized his horse. 



THE INVASION OF FEANCE. 91 

" Vile thief," he cried, " dismount from that horse, 
and prevent the punishment that is your due for 
daring to rob me of my property. Leave, also, the 
princess in my hands ; for it would indeed be a sin to 
suffer so charming a lady and so gallant a charger to 
remain in such keeping." 

The king of Circassia, furious at being thus insulted, 
cried out, " Thou liest, villain, in giving me the name 
of thief, which better belongs to thyself than to me. 
It is true, the beauty of this lady and the perfection 
of this horse are unequalled ; come on, then, and let 
us try which of us is most worthy to possess them." 

At these words the king of Circassia and Binaldo 
attacked one another with all their force, one fighting 
on foot, the other on horseback. You need not, how- 
ever, suppose that the Saracen king found any advan- 
tage in this ; for a young page, unused to horseman- 
ship, could not have failed more completely to manage 
Bayard than did this accomplished knight. The faith- 
ful animal loved his master too well to injure him, 
and refused his aid as well as his obedience to the 
hand of Sacripant, who could strike but ineffectual 
blows, the horse backing when he wished him to go 
forward, and dropping his head and arching his back, 
throwing out with his legs, so as almost to shake the 
knight out of the saddle. Sacripant, seeing that he 



92 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

could not manage him, watched his opportunity, rose 
on his saddle, and leapt lightly to the earth ; then, 
relieved from the embarrassment of the horse, renewed 
the combat on more equal terms. Their skill to thrust 
and parry were equal ; one rises, the other stoops ; 
with one foot set firm, they turn and wind, to lay on 
strokes or to dodge them. At last Rinaldo, throwing 
himself on the Circassian, dealt him a blow so terrible 
that Fusberta, his good sword, cut in two the buckler 
of Sacripant, although it was made of bone, and 
covered with a thick plate of steel well tempered. 
The arm of the Saracen was deprived of its defence, 
and almost palsied with the stroke. Angelica, per- 
ceiving how victory was likely to incline, and shud- 
dering at the thought of becoming the prize of 
Rinaldo, hesitated no longer. Turning her horse's 
head, she fled with the utmost speed ; and, in spite of 
the round pebbles which covered a steep descent, she 
plunged into a deep valley, trembling with the fear 
that Rinaldo was in pursuit. At the bottom of this 
valley she encountered an aged hermit, whose white 
beard flowed to his middle, and whose venerable ap- 
pearance seemed to assure his piety. 

This hermit, who appeared shrunk by age and fast- 
ing, travelled slowly, mounted upon a wretched ass. 
The princess, overcome with fear, conjured him to 




foMVcaS" 



THE INVASION OF FKANCE. 93 

save her life, and to conduct her to some port of the 
sea, whence she might embark and quit France, never 
more to hear the odious name of Rinaldo. 

The old hermit was something of a wizard. He 
comforted Angelica, and promised to protect her from 
all peril. Then he opened his scrip, and took from 
thence a book, and had read but a single page when a 
goblin,' obedient to his incantations, appeared, under 
the form of a laboring man, and demanded his orders. 
He received them, transported himself to the place 
where the knights still maintained their conflict, and 
boldly stepped between the two. 

" Tell me, I pray you," he said, " what benefit will 
accrue to him who shall get the better in this con- 
test? The object you are contending for is already 
disposed of; for the Paladin Orlando, without effort 
and without opposition, is now carrying away the 
princess Angelica to Paris. You had better pursue 
them promptly, for if they reach Paris, you will never 
see her again." 

At these words you might have seen those rival 
warriors confounded, stupefied, silently agreeing that 
they were affording their rival a fair opportunity to 
triumph over them. Rinaldo, approaching Bayard, 
breathes a sigh of shame and rage, and swears a 
terrible oath that, if he overtakes Orlando, he will 



94 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

tear his heart out. Then mounting Bayard and press- 
ing his flanks with his spurs, he leaves the king of 
Circassia on foot in the forest. 

Let it not appear strange that Rinaldo found Bay- 
ard obedient at last, after having so long prevented 
any one from even touching his bridle ; for that 
fine animal had an intelligence almost human ; he 
had fled from his master only to draw him on the 
track of Angelica, and enable him to recover her. 
He saw when the princess fled from the battle, and 
Rinaldo being then engaged in a fight on foot, Bayard 
found himself free to follow the traces of Angelica. 
Thus he had drawn his master after him, not per- 
mitting him to approach, and had brought him to the 
sight of the princess. But Bayard now, deceived like 
his master with the false intelligence of the goblin, 
submits to be mounted and to serve his master as 
usual, and Rinaldo, animated with rage, makes him 
fly toward Paris, more slowly than his wishes, though 
the speed of Bayard outstripped the winds. Full of 
impatience to encounter Orlando, he gave but a few 
hours that night to sleep. Early the next day he saw 
before him the great city, under the walls of which 
the Emperor Charles had collected the scattered re- 
mains of his army. Foreseeing that he would soon 
be attacked on all sides, the Emperor had caused the 



THE INVASION OF FRANCE. 95 

ancient fortifications to be repaired, and new ones to 
be built, surrounded by wide and deep ditches. The 
desire to hold the field against the enemy made him 
seize every means of procuring new allies. He hoped 
to receive from England aid sufficient to enable him 
to form a new camp, and as soon as Rinaldo rejoined 
him, he selected him to go as his ambassador into 
England, to plead for auxiliaries. Rinaldo was far 
from pleased with this commission, but he obeyed the 
Emperor's commands, without giving himself time to 
devote a single day to the object nearest his heart. 
He hastened to Calais, and lost not a moment in 
embarking for England, ardently desiring a hasty de- 
spatch of his commission, and a speedy return to 
France. 




BRADAMANTE AND ROGERO. 



BRADAMANTE, the knight of the white plume 
and shield, whose sudden appearance and en- 
counter with Sacripant we have already told, was in 
quest of Rogero, from whom chance had separated 
her, almost at the beginning of their acquaintance. 
After her encounter with Sacripant, Bradamante pur- 
sued her way through the forest, in hopes of rejoining 
Rogero, and arrived at last on the brink of a fair 
fountain. 

This fountain flowed through a broad meadow. 
Ancient trees overshadowed it, and travellers, attracted 
by the sweet murmur of its waters, stopped there to 



BEADAMANTE AND EOGEEO. 97 

cool themselves. Bradamante, casting her eyes on all 
sides to enjoy the beauties of the spot, perceived, 
under the shade of a tree, a knight reclining, who 
seemed to be oppressed with the deepest grief. 

Bradamante accosted him, and asked to be informed 
of the cause of his distress. " Alas ! my lord," said 
he, " I lament a young and charming friend, my 
affianced wife, who has been torn from me by a vil- 
lain, — let me rather call him a demon, — who, on a 
winged horse, descended from the air, seized her, and 
bore her screaming to his den. I have pursued them 
over rocks and through ravines till my horse is no 
longer able to bear me, and I now wait only for 
death." He added, that already a vain attempt on 
his behalf had been made by two knights whom 
chance had brought to the spot. Their names were 
Gradasso, king of Sericane, and Rogero, the Moor. 
Both had been overcome by the wiles of the enchant- 
er, and were added to the number of the captives, 
whom he held in an impregnable castle, situated on 
the height of the mountain. At the mention of 
Rogero's name, Bradamante started with delight, 
#which was soon changed to an opposite sentiment 
when she heard that her lover was a prisoner in the 
toils of the enchanter. " Sir Knight," she said, " do 
not surrender yourself to despair; this day may be 



98 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

more happy for you than you think, if you will only 
lead me to the castle which enfolds her whom you 
deplore." 

The knight responded, " After having lost all that 
made life dear to me, I have no motive to avoid the 
dangers of the enterprise, and I will do as you re- 
quest; but I forewarn you of the perils you will have 
to encounter. If you fall, impute it not to me." 

Having thus spoken, they took their way to the cas- 
tle, but were overtaken by a messenger from the camp, 
who had been sent in quest of Bradamante to summon 
her back to the army, where her presence was needed 
to reassure her disheartened forces, and withstand the 
advance of the Moors. 

The mournful knight, whose name was Pinabel, 
thus became aware that Bradamante was a scion of 
the house of Clermont, between which and his own 
of Mayence there existed an ancient feud. From this 
moment the traitor sought only how he might be rid 
of the company of Bradamante, from whom he feared 
no good would come to him, but rather mortal injury, 
if his name and lineage became known to her. For he 
judged her by his own base model, and, knowing his, 
ill deserts, he feared to receive his due. 

Bradamante, in spite of the summons to return to 
the army, could not resolve to leave her lover in cap- 



BRADAMANTE AND ROGERO. 99 

tivity, and determined first to finish the adventure on 
which she was engaged. Pinabel leading the way, 
they at length arrived at a wood, in the centre of 
which rose a steep, rocky mountain. Pinabel, who 
now thought of nothing else but how he might escape 
from Bradamante, proposed to ascend the mountain to 
extend his view, in order to discover a shelter for the 
night, if any there might be within sight. Under this 
pretence he left Bradamante, and advanced up the 
side of the mountain till he came to a cleft in the 
rock, down which he looked, and perceived that it 
widened below into a spacious cavern. Meanwhile 
Bradamante, fearful of losing her guide, had followed 
close on his footsteps, and rejoined him at the mouth 
of the cavern. Then the traitor, seeing the impossi- 
bility of escaping her, conceived another design. He 
told her that before her approach he had seen in the 
cavern a young and beautiful damsel, whose rich dress 
announced her high birth, who with tears and lamen- 
tations implored assistance ; that before he could de- 
scend to relieve her, a ruffian had seized her, and 
hurried her away into the recesses of *the cavern. 

Bradamante, full of truth and courage, readily believed 
this lie of the Mayencian traitor. Eager to succor the 
damsel, she looked round for the means of facilitating the 
descent, and seeing a large elm with spreading branches, 



100 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

she lopped off with her sword one of the largest, and 
thrust it into the opening. She told Pinabel to hold 
fast to the larger end, while, grasping the branches with 
her hands, she let herself down into the cavern. 

The traitor smiled at seeing her thus suspended, and, 
asking her in mockery, " Are you a good leaper ? " he 
let go the branch with perfidious glee, and saw Brada- 
mante precipitated to the bottom of the cave. " I wish 
your whole race were there with you," he muttered, 
" that you might all perish together." 

But Pinabel's atrocious design was not accomplished. 
The twigs and foliage of the branch broke its descent, 
and Bradamante, not seriously injured, though stunned 
with her fall, was reserved for other adventures. 

As soon as she recovered from the shock, Bradamante 
cast her eyes around and perceived a door, through 
which she passed into a second cavern, larger and loftier 
than the first. It had the appearance of a subterranean 
temple. Columns of the purest alabaster adorned it, and 
supported the roof ; a simple altar rose in the middle ; a 
lamp, whose radiance was reflected by the alabaster walls, 
cast a mild light around. 

Bradamante, inspired by a sense of religious awe, 
approached the altar, and, falling on her knees, poured 
forth her prayers and thanks to the Preserver of hei 
life, invoking the protection of his power. At that mo- 



BRADAMANTE AND ROGERO. 101 

ment a small door opened, and a female issued from it 
with naked feet, and flowing robe and hair, who called 
her by her name, and thus addressed her. " Brave and 
generous Bradamante, know that it is a power from 
above that has brought you hither. The spirit of Merlin, 
whose last earthly abode was in this place, has warned 
me of your arrival, and of the fate that awaits you. 
This famous grotto," she continued, " was the work of 
the enchanter Merlin ; here his ashes repose. You have 
no doubt heard how this sage and virtuous enchanter 
ceased to be. Victim of the artful fairy of the lake, 
Merlin, by a fatal compliance with her request, laid him- 
self down living in his tomb, without power to resist 
the spell laid upon him by that ingrate, who retained 
him there as long as he lived. His spirit hovers about 
this spot, and will not leave it, until the last trumpet 
shall summon the dead to judgment. He answers the 
questions of those who approach his tomb, where per- 
haps you may be privileged to hear his voice." 

Bradamante, astonished at these words, and the objects 
which met her view, knew not whether she was awake 
or asleep. Confused, but modest, she cast down her 
eyes, and a blush overspread her face. " Ah, what am 
I," said she, " that so great a prophet should deign to 
speak to me ! " Still, with a secret satisfaction, she fol- 
lowed the priestess, who led her to the tomb of Merlin. 



102 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

This tomb was constructed of a species of stone hard 
and resplendent like fire. The rays which beamed from 
the stone sufficed to light up that terrible place, where 
the sun's rays never penetrated ; but I know not whether 
that light was the effect of a certain phosphorescence of 
the stone itself, or of the many talismans and charms 
with which it was wrought over. 

Bradamante had hardly passed the threshold of this 
sacred place, when the spirit of the enchanter saluted 
her with a voice firm and distinct. " May thy de- 
signs be prosperous, O chaste and noble maiden, the 
future mother of heroes, the glory of Italy, and des- 
tined to fill the whole world with their fame. Great 
captains, renowned knights, shall be numbered among 
your descendants, who shall defend the Church and 
restore their country to its ancient splendor. Princes, 
wise as Augustus and the sage Numa shall bring back 
the age of gold.* To accomplish these grand destinies 
it is ordained that you shall wed the illustrious Rogero. 
Fly then to his deliverance, and lay prostrate in the 
dust the traitor who has snatched him from you, and 
now holds him in chains ! " 

Merlin ceased with these words, and left to Melissa, 



* This prophecy is introduced by Ariosto in this place to compliment 
the noble house of Este, the princes of his native state, the dukedom of 
Ferrara. 



BEADAMANTE AND EOGEEO. 103 

the priestess, the charge of more fully instructing the 
maiden in her future course. " To-morrow," said she, 
" I will conduct you to the castle on the rock where 
Rogero is held captive. I will not leave you till I 
have guided you through this wild wood, and I will 
direct you on your way so that you shall be in no 
danger of mistaking it." 

The next morning Melissa conducted Bradamante, 
between rocks and precipices, crossing rapid torrents, 
and traversing intricate passes, employing the time in 
imparting to her such information as was necessary to 
enable her to bring her design to a successful issue. 

" Not only would the castle, impenetrable by force, 
and that winged horse of his baffle your efforts, but 
know that he possesses also a buckler whence flashes 
a light so brilliant that the eyes of all who look upon 
it are blinded. Think not to avoid it by shutting 
your eyes, for how then will you be able to avoid his 
blows, and make him feel your own? But I will 
teach you the proper course to pursue. 

" Agramant, the Moorish prince, possesses a ring 
stolen from a queen of India, which has power to 
render of no avail all enchantments. Agramant, know- 
ing that Rogero is of more importance to him than 
any one of his warriors, is desirous of rescuing him 
from the power of the enchanter, and has sent for 



104 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

that purpose Brunello, the most crafty and sagacious 
of his servants, provided with his wonderful ring, and 
he is even now at hand, bent on this enterprise. 
But, beautiful Bradamante, as I desire that no one 
but yourself shall have the glory of delivering from 
thraldom your future spouse, listen while I disclose 
the means of success. Following this path which 
leads by the sea-shore, you will come erelong to a 
hostelry, where the Saracen Brunello will arrive short- 
ly after you. You will readily know him by his 
stature, under four feet, his great disproportioned head, 
his squint eyes, his livid hue, his thick eyebrows join- 
ing his tufted beard. His dress, moreover, that of a 
courier, will point him out to you. 

" It will be easy for you to enter into conversation 
with him, announcing yourself as a knight seeking 
combat with the enchanter, but let not the knave 
suspect that you know anything about the ring. I 
doubt not that he will offer to be your guide to the 
castle of the enchanter. Accept his offer, but take 
care to keep behind him till you come in sight of the 
brilliant dome of the castle. Then hesitate not to 
strike him dead, for the wretch deserves no pity, and 
take from him the ring. But let him not suspect 
your intention, for by putting the ring into his mouth 
he will instantly become invisible, and disappear from 
your eyes." 



BRADAMANTE AND ROGERO. 105 

Saying thus, the sage Melissa and the fair Brada- 
mante arrived near the city of Bordeaux, where the 
rich and wide river Garonne pours the tribute of its 
waves into the sea. They parted with tender em- 
braces. Bradamante, intent wholly on her purpose, 
hastened to arrive at the hostelry, where Brunello 
had preceded her a few moments only. The young 
heroine knew him without difficulty. She accosted 
him, and put to him some slight questions, to which 
he replied with adroit falsehoods. Bradamante, on 
her part, concealed from him her sex, her religion, 
her country, and the blood from whence she sprung. 
While they talk together, sudden cries are heard from 
all parts of the hostelry. " O queen of heaven ! " 
exclaimed Bradamante, " what can be the cause of 
this sudden alarm?" She soon learned the cause. 
Host, children, domestics, all, with upturned eyes, as 
if they saw a comet or a great eclipse, were gazing on 
a prodigy which seemed to pass the bounds of possibil- 
ity. She beheld distinctly a winged horse, mounted 
with a cavalier in rich armor, cleaving the air with rapid 
flight. The wings of this strange courser were wide 
extended, and covered with feathers of various colors. 
The polished armor of the knight made them shine 
with rainbow tints. In a short time, the horse and 
rider disappeared behind the summits of the mountains. 

5* 



106 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

"It is an enchanter," said the host, "a magician 
who often is seen traversing the air in that way. 
Sometimes he flies aloft as if among the stars, and 
at others, skims along the land. He possesses a won- 
derful castle on the top of the Pyrenees. Many 
knights have shown their courage by going to attack 
him, but none have ever returned, from which it is 
to be feared they have lost either their life or their 
liberty." 

Bradamante, addressing the host, said, " Could you 
furnish me a guide to conduct me to the castle of 
this enchanter ? " " By my faith," said Brunello, in- 
terrupting, " that you shall not seek in vain ; I have 
it all in writing, and I will myself conduct you." 
Bradamante, with thanks, accepted him for her guide. 

The host had a tolerable horse to dispose of, which 
Bradamante bargained for, and the next day, at the 
first dawn of morning, she took her route by a narrow 
valley, taking care to have the Saracen Brunello lead 
the way. 

They reached the summit of the Pyrenees, whence 
one may look down on France, Spain, and the two 
seas. From this height they descended again by a 
fatiguing road into a deep valley. From the middle 
of this valley an isolated mountain rose, composed of 
rough and perpendicular rock, on whose summit was 



BEADAMANTE AND EOGEEO. 107 

the castle, surrounded witli a wall of brass. Brunello 
said, " Yonder is tlie stronghold where the enchanter 
keeps his prisoners ; one must have wings to mount 
thither ; it is easy to see that the aid of a flying horse 
must be necessary for the master of this castle, which 
he uses for his prison and for his abode." 

Bradamante, sufficiently instructed, saw that the 
time had now come to possess herself of the ring ; but 
she could not resolve to slay a defenceless man. She 
seized Brunello before he was aware, bound him to a 
tree, and took from him the ring which he wore on 
one of his fingers. The cries and entreaties of the 
perfidious Saracen moved her not. She advanced to 
the foot of the rock whereon the castle stood, and, to 
draw the magician to the combat, sounded her horn, 
adding to it cries of defiance. 

The enchanter delayed not to present himself, 
mounted on his winged horse. Bradamante was 
struck with surprise mixed with joy when she saw 
that this person, described as so formidable, bore no 
lance nor club, nor any other deadly weapon. He had 
only on his arm a buckler, covered with a cloth, and 
in his hand an open book. As to the winged horse, 
there was no enchantment about him. He was a 
natural animal, of a species which exists in the Ri- 
phaean mountains. Like a griffin, he had the head of 



108 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

an eagle, claws armed with talons, and wings covered 
with feathers, the rest of his body being that of a 
horse. This strange animal is called a Hippogriff. 

The heroine attacked the enchanter on his approach, 
striking on this side and on that, with all the energy 
of a violent combat, but wounding only the wind ; 
and, after this pretended attack had lasted some time, 
dismounted from her horse, as if hoping to do battle 
more effectually on foot. The enchanter now prepares 
to employ his sole weapon, by uncovering the magic 
buckler which never failed to subdue an enemy by 
depriving him of his senses. Bradamante, confiding 
in her ring, observed all the motions of her adversary, 
and, at the unveiling of the shield, cast herself on 
the ground, pretending that the splendor of the shield 
had overcome her, but in reality to induce the en 
chanter to dismount and approach her. 

It happened according to her wish. When the 
enchanter saw her prostrate, he made his horse alight 
on the ground, and, dismounting, fixed the shield on 
the pommel of his saddle, and approached in order to 
secure the fallen warrior. Bradamante, who watched 
him intently, as soon as she saw him near at hand, 
sprang up, seized him vigorously, threw him down, 
and, with the same chain which the enchanter had 
prepared for herself, bound him fast, without his being 
able to make anv effectual resistance. 



BKADAMANTE AND ROGERO. 109 

The enchanter, with the accents of despair, ex- 
claimed, " Take my life, young man ! " but Brada- 
mante was far from complying with such a wish. 
Desirous of knowing the name of the enchanter, and 
for what purpose he had formed with so much art 
this impregnable fortress, she commanded him to in- 
form her. 

" Alas ! " replied the magician, while tears flowed 
down his cheeks, " it is not to conceal booty, nor 
for any culpable design, that I have built this castle ; 
it was only to guard the life of a young knight, the 
object of my tenderest affection, my art having taught 
me that he is destined to become a Christian, and to 
perish, shortly after, by the blackest of treasons. 

" This youth, named Rogero, is the most beautiful 
and most accomplished of knights. It is I, the unhap- 
py Atlantes, who have reared him from his childhood. 
The call of honor and the desire of glory led him from 
me to follow Agramant, his prince, in his invasion of 
France, and I, more devoted to Rogero than the ten- 
derest of parents, have sought the means of bringing 
him back to this abode, in the hope of saving him 
from the cruel fate that menaces him. 

" For this purpose I have got him in my possession 
by the same means as I attempted to employ against 
you ; and by which I have succeeded in collecting a 



110 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

great many knights and ladies in my castle. My pur- 
pose was to render my beloved pupil's captivity light, 
by affording him society to amuse him, and keep his 
thoughts from running on subjects of war and glory. 
Alas ! my cares have been in vain ! Yet, take, I 
beseech you, whatever else I have, but spare me my 
beloved pupil. Take this shield, take this winged 
courser, deliver such of your friends as you may find 
among my prisoners, deliver them all if you will, but 
leave me my beloved Rogero ; or if you will snatch 
him too from me, take also my life, which will cease 
then to be to me worth preserving." 

Bradamante replied : " Old man, hope not to move 
me by your vain entreaties. It is precisely the liberty 
of Rogero that I require. You would keep him here 
in bondage and in slothful pleasure, to save him from 
a fate which you foresee. Vain old man ! how can 
you foresee his fate when you could not foresee your 
own ? You desire me to take your life. No, my 
arm and my soul refuse the request." This said, she 
required the magician to go before, and guide her to 
the castle. The prisoners were set at liberty, though 
some, in their secret hearts, regretted the voluptuous 
life which was thus brought to an end. Bradamante 
and Rogero met one another with transports of joy. 

They descended from the mountain to the spot 



BRADAMANTE AND ROGEEO. Ill 

where the encounter had taken place. There they 
found the Hippogriff, with the magic buckler in its 
wrapper, hanging to his saddle-bow. Bradamante ad- 
vanced to seize the bridle ; the Hippogriff seemed to 
wait her approach, but before she reached him he 
spread his wings and flew away to a neighboring hill, 
and in the same manner, a second time, eluded her 
efforts. Rogero and the other liberated knights dis- 
persed over the plain and hill-tops to secure him, and 
at last the animal allowed Rogero to seize his rein. 
The fearless Rogero hesitated not to vault upon his 
back, and let him feel his spurs, which so roused his 
mettle that, after galloping a short distance, he sud- 
denly spread his wings, and soared into the air. 
Bradamante had the grief to see her lover snatched 
away from her at the very moment of reunion. 
Rogero, who knew not the art of directing the horse, 
was unable to control his flight. He found himself 
carried over the tops of the mountains, so far above 
them that he could hardly distinguish what was land 
and what water. The Hippogriff directed his flight to 
the west, and cleaved the air as swiftly as a new- 
rigged vessel cuts the waves, impelled by the freshest 
and most favorable gales. 




ASTOLPHO AND THE ENCHANTRESS. 



IN the long flight which Rogero took on the back 
of the Hippogriff, he was carried over land and 
sea, unknowing whither. As soon as he had gained 
some control over the animal, he made him alight on 
the nearest land. When he came near enough to 
earth, Rogero leapt lightly from his back, and tied the 
animal to a myrtle-tree. Near the spot flowed the 
pure waters of a fountain, surrounded by cedars and 
palm-trees. Rogero laid aside his shield, and, re- 
moving his helmet, breathed with delight the fresh air, 
and cooled his lips with the waters of the fountain. 
For we cannot wonder that he was excessively fatigued, 



ASTOLPHO AND THE ENCH ANTKESS. 113 

considering the ride he had taken. He was preparing 
to taste the sweets of repose, when he perceived that 
the Hippogriff, which he had tied by the bridle to 
a myrtle -tree, frightened at something, was making 
violent efforts to disengage himself. His struggles 
shook the myrtle-tree so that many of its beautiful 
leaves were torn off, and strewed the ground. 

A sound like that which issues from burning wood 
seemed to come from the myrtle-tree, at first faint 
and indistinct, but growing stronger by degrees, and 
at length was audible as a voice which spoke in this 
manner : " O knight, if the tenderness of your heart 
corresponds to the beauty of your person, relieve me, 
I pray you, from this tormenting animal. I suffer 
enough inwardly without having outward evils added 
to my lot." 

Rogero, at the first accents of this voice, turned 
his eyes promptly on the myrtle, hastened to it, 
and stood fixed in astonishment when he perceived 
that the voice issued from the tree itself. He imme- 
diately untied his horse, and, flushed with surprise and 
regret, exclaimed, "Whoever thou art, whether mor- 
tal or the goddess of these woods, forgive me, I be- 
seech you, my involuntary fault. Had I imagined 
that this hard bark covered a being possessed of feel- 
ing, could I have exposed such a beautiful myrtle to 



114 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

the insults of this steed? May the sweet influences 
of the sky and air speedily repair the injury I have 
done! For my part, I promise by the sovereign lady 
of my heart to do everything you wish in order to 
merit your forgiveness." 

At these words the myrtle seemed to tremble from 
root to stem, and Rogero remarked that a moisture as 
of tears trickled down its bark, like that which exudes 
from a log placed on the fire. It then spoke : — 

" The kindness which inspires your words compels 
me to disclose to you who I once was, and by what 
fatality I have been changed into this shape. My name 
was Astolpho, cousin of Orlando and Rinaldo, whose 
fame has filled the earth. I was myself reckoned among 
the bravest paladins of France, and was by birth enti- 
tled to reign over England, after Otho, my father. 
Returning from the distant East, with Rinaldo and 
many other brave knights, called home to aid with 
our arms the great Emperor of France, we reached a 
spot where the powerful enchantress Alcina possessed 
a castle on the borders of the sea. She had gone to 
the water-side to amuse herself with fishing, and we 
paused to see how, by her art, without hook or line, 
she drew from the water whatever she would. 

" Not far from the shore an enormous whale showed 
a back so broad and motionless that it looked like an 



ASTOLPHO AND THE ENCHANTEESS. 115 

island. Alcina had fixed her eyes on me, and planned 
to get me into her power. Addressing us, she said: 
i This is the hour when the prettiest mermaid in the 
sea comes regularly every day to the shore of yonder 
island. She sings so sweetly that the very waves 
flow smoother at the sound. If you wish to hear her, 
come with me to her resort.' So saying, Alcina point- 
ed to the fish, which we all supposed to be an island. 
I, who was rash, did not hesitate to follow her; but 
swam my horse over, and mounted on the back of the 
fish. In vain Rinaldo and Dudon made signs to me 
to beware; Alcina, smiling, took me in charge, and 
led the way. No sooner were we mounted upon him 
than the whale moved off, spreading his great fins, 
and cleft rapidly the waters. I then saw my folly, 
but it was too late to repent. Alcina soothed my 
anger, and professed that what she had done was for 
love of me. Erelong we arrived at this island, 
where at first everything was done to reconcile me to 
my lot, and to make my days pass happily away. But 
soon Alcina, sated with her conquest, grew indifferent, 
then weary of me, and at last, to get rid of me, 
changed me into this form, as she had done to many 
lovers before me, making some of them olives, some 
palms, some cedars, changing others into fountains, 
rocks, or even into wild beasts. And thou, courteous 



116 LEGENDS OF CHAKLEMAGNE. 

knight, whom accident has brought to this enchanted 
isle, beware that she get not the power over thee, or 
thou shalt haply be made like us, a tree, a fountain, 
or a rock." 

Rogero expressed his astonishment at this recital. 
Astolpho added, that the island was in great part sub- 
ject to the sway of Alcina. By the aid of her sister 
Morgana, she had succeeded in dispossessing a third 
sister, Logestilla, of nearly the whole of her patri- 
mony, for the whole isle was hers originally by her 
father's bequest. But Logestilla was temperate and 
sage, while the other sisters were false and voluptuous. 
Her empire was divided from theirs by a gulf and 
chain of mountains, which alone had thus far prevent- 
ed her sisters from usurping it. 

Astolpho here ended his tale, and Rogero who 
knew that he was the cousin of Bradamante, would 
gladly have devised some way for his relief; but, as 
that was out of his power, he consoled him as well as 
he could, and then begged to be told the way to the 
palace of Logestilla, and how to avoid that of Alcina. 
Astolpho directed him to take the road to the left, 
though rough, and full of rocks. He warned him that 
this road would present serious obstacles ; that troops 
of monsters would oppose his passage, employed by the 
art of Alcina to prevent her subjects from escaping 



ASTOLPHO AND THE ENCHANTRESS. 117 

from her dominion. Rogero thanked the myrtle, and 
prepared to set out on his way. 

He at first thought he would mount the winged 
horse, and scale the mountain on his back; but he 
was too uncertain of his power to control him to wish 
to encounter the hazard of another flight through the 
air, besides that he was almost famished for the want 
of food. So he led the horse after him, and took the 
road on foot, which for some distance led equally to 
the dominions of both the sisters. 

He had not advanced more than two miles when he 
saw before him the superb city of Alcina. It was 
surrounded with a wall of gold, which seemed to reach 
the skies. I know that some think that this wall was 
not of real gold, but only the work of alchemy ; it 
matters not; I prefer to think it gold, for it certainly 
shone like gold. 

A broad and level road led to the gates of the city, 
and from this another branched off, narrow and rough, 
which led to the mountain region. Rogero took with- 
out hesitation the narrow road; but he had no sooner 
entered upon it than he was assailed by a numerous 
troop which opposed his passage. 

You never have seen anything so ridiculous, so 
extraordinary, as this host of hobgoblins were. Some 
of them bore the human form from the neck to the 



118 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

feet, but had the head of a monkey or a cat; others 
had the legs and the ears of a horse; old men and 
women, bald and hideous, ran hither and thither as 
if out of their senses, half clad in the shaggy skins of 
beasts ; one rode full speed on a horse without a bridle, 
another jogged along mounted on an ass or a cow ; 
others, full of agility, skipped about, and clung to the 
tails and manes of the animals which their companions 
rode. Some blew horns, others brandished drinking- 
cups ; some were armed with spits, and some with 
pitchforks. One, who appeared to be the captain, had 
an enormous belly and a gross fat head ; he was 
mounted on a tortoise, that waddled, now this way, 
now that, without keeping any one direction. 

One of these monsters, who had something ap- 
proaching the human form, though he had the neck, 
ears, and muzzle of a dog, set himself to bark furiously 
at Rogero, to make him turn off to the right, and re- 
enter upon the road to the gay city ; but the brave 
chevalier exclaimed, " That will I not, so long as I 
can use this sword," — and he thrust the point directly 
at his face. The monster tried to strike him with a 
lance, but Rogero was too quick for him, and thrust 
his sword through his body, so that it appeared a 
hand's breadth behind his back. The paladin, now 
giving full vent to his rage, laid about him vigorously 



ASTOLPHO AND THE ENCHANTRESS. 119 

among the rabble, cleaving one to the teeth, another 
to the girdle; but the troop was so numerous, and in 
spite of his blows pressed around him so close, that, 
to clear his way, he must have had as many arms as 
Briareus. 

If Rogero had uncovered the shield of the enchanter 
which hung at his saddle-bow, he might easily have 
vanquished this monstrous rout ; but perhaps he did 
not think of it, and perhaps he preferred to seek his 
defence nowhere but in his good sword. At that 
moment, when his perplexity was at its height, he saw 
issue from the city gate two young beauties, whose 
air and dress proclaimed their rank and gentle nurture. 
Each of them was mounted on a unicorn, whose 
whiteness surpassed that of ermine. They advanced 
to the meadow where Rogero was contending so 
valiantly against the hobgoblins, who all retired at 
their approach. They drew near, they extended their 
hands to the young warrior, whose cheeks glowed with 
the flush of exercise and modesty. Grateful for their 
assistance, he expressed his thanks, and, having no 
heart to refuse them, followed their guidance to the 
gate of the city. 

This grand and beautiful entrance was adorned by 
a portico of four vast columns, all of diamond. 
Whether they were real diamond or artificial, I can- 



120 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

not say. What matter is it, so long as they appeared 
to the eye like diamond, and nothing could be more 
gay and splendid. 

On the threshold, and between the columns, was 
seen a bevy of charming young women, who played 
and frolicked together. They all ran to receive 
Rogero, and conducted him into the palace, which 
appeared like a paradise. 

We might well call by that name this abode, where 
the hours flew by, without account, in ever-new de- 
lights. The bare idea of satiety, want, and, above 
all, of age, never entered the minds of the inhab- 
itants. They experienced no sensations except those 
of luxury and gayety ; the cup of happiness seemed 
for them ever-flowing and exhaustless. The two 
young damsels to whom Rogero owed his deliverance 
from the hobgoblins, conducted him to the apartment 
of their mistress. The beautiful Alcina advanced, and 
greeted him with an air at once dignified and cour- 
teous. All her court surrounded the paladin, and 
rendered him the most flattering attentions. The cas- 
tle was less admirable for its magnificence than for the 
charms of those who inhabited it. They were of 
either sex, well matched in beauty, youth, and grace ; 
but among this charming group the brilliant Alcina 
shone, as the sun outshines the stars. The young 



ASTOLPHO AND THE ENCHANTRESS. 121 

warrior was fascinated. All that he had heard from 
the myrtle-tree appeared to him but a vile calumny. 
How could he suspect that falsehood and treason 
veiled themselves under smiles and the ingenuous air 
of truth ? He doubted not that Astolpho had de- 
served his fate, and perhaps a punishment more 
severe ; he regarded all his stories as dictated by a 
disappointed spirit, and a thirst for revenge. But we 
must not condemn Rogero too harshly, for he was the 
victim of magic power. 

They seated themselves at table, and immediately 
harmonious lyres and harps waked the air with the 
most ravishing notes. The charms of poetry were 
added, in entertaining recitals ; the magnificence of the 
feast would have done credit to a royal board. The 
traitress forgot nothing which might charm the paladin, 
and attach him to the spot, meaning, when she should 
grow tired of him, to metamorphose him as she had 
done others. In the same manner passed each suc- 
ceeding day. Games of pleasant exercise, the chase, 
the dance, or rural sports, made the hours pass 
quickly ; while they gave zest to the refreshment of 
the bath, or sleep. 

Thus Rogero led a life of ease and luxury, while 
Charlemagne and Agramant were struggling for em- 
pire. But I cannot linger with him, while the amiable 



122 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

and courageous Bradamante is night and day directing 
her uncertain steps to every spot where the slightest 
chance invites her, in the hope of recovering Rogero. 

I will therefore say, that, having sought him in 
vain in fields and in cities, she knew not whither 
next to direct her steps. She did not apprehend the 
death of Rogero. The fall of such a hero would have 
re-echoed from the Hydaspes to the farthest river of 
the West ; but, not knowing whether he was on the 
earth or in the air, she concluded, as a last resource, 
to return to the cavern which contained the tomb of 
Merlin, to ask of him some sure direction to the 
object of her search. 

While this thought occupied her mind, Melissa, the 
sage enchantress, suddenly appeared before her. This 
virtuous and beneficent magician had discovered by 
her spells that Rogero was passing his time in 
pleasure and idleness, forgetful of his honor and his 
sovereign. Not able to endure the thought that one 
who was born to be a hero should waste his years 
in base repose, and leave a sullied reputation in the 
memory of survivors, she saw that vigorous measures 
must be employed to draw him forth into the paths 
of virtue. Melissa was not blinded by her affection 
for the amiable paladin, like Atlantes, who, intent 
only on preserving Rogero's life, cared nothing for 



ASTOLPHO AND THE ENCHANTRESS. 123 

his fame. It was that old enchanter whose arts had 
guided the Hippogriff to the isle of the too charming 
Alcina, where he hoped his favorite would learn to 
forget honor, and lose the love of glory. 

At the sight of Melissa, joy lighted up the coun- 
tenance of Bradamante, and hope animated her breast. 
Melissa concealed nothing from her, but told her how 
Rogero was in the toils of Alcina. Bradamante was 
plunged in grief and terror; but the kind enchantress 
calmed her, dispelled her fears, and promised that be- 
fore many days she would lead back the paladin to 
her feet. 

" My daughter," she said, " give me the rjng which 
you wear, and which possesses the power to overcome 
enchantments. By means of it, I doubt not but that 
I may enter the stronghold where the false Alcina 
holds Rogero in durance, and may succeed in van- 
quishing her, and liberating him." Bradamante un- 
hesitatingly delivered her the ring, recommending 
Rogero to her best efforts. Melissa then summoned 
by her art a huge palfrey, black as jet, excepting one 
foot, which was bay. Mounted upon this animal, she 
rode with such speed that by the next morning she 
had reached the abode of Alcina. 

She here transformed herself into the perfect re- 
semblance of the old magician Atlantes, adding a 



124 LEGENDS OF CHAKLEMAGNE. 

palm-breadth to her height, and enlarging her whole 
figure. Her chin she covered with a long beard, and 
seamed her whole visage well with wrinkles. She 
assumed also his voice and manner, and watched her 
chance to find Rogero alone. At last she found him, 
dressed in a rich tunic of silk and gold, a collar of 
precious stones about his neck, and his arms, once so 
rough with exercise, decorated with bracelets. His 
air and his every motion indicated effeminacy, and he 
seemed to retain nothing of Rogero but the name; 
such power had the enchantress obtained over him. 

Melissa, under the form of his old instructor, pre- 
sented herself before him, wearing a stern and serious 
visage. " Is this, then,!' she said, " the fruit of all 
my labors? Is it for this that I fed you on the mar- 
row of bears and lions, that I taught you to subdue 
dragons, and, like Hercules, strangle serpents in your 
youthful grasp, only to make you, by all my cares, a 
feeble Adonis? My nightly watchings of the stars, 
of the yet warm fibres of animals, the lots I have 
cast, the points of nativity that I have calculated, 
have they all falsely indicated that you were born for 
greatness ? Who could have believed that you would 
become the slave of a base enchantress ? O Rogero, 
learn to know this Alcina, learn to understand her 
arts and to countervail them. Take this ring, place 



ASTOLPHO AND THE ENCHANTRESS. 125 

it on your finger, return to her presence, and see for 
yourself what are her real charms." 

At these words, Rogero, confused, abashed, cast his 
eyes upon the ground, and knew not what to answer. 
Melissa seized the moment, slipped the ring on his 
finger, and the paladin was himself again. What a 
thunder-clap to him ! Overcome by shame, he dared 
not to encounter the looks of his instructor. When 
at last he raised his eyes, he beheld not that venerable 
form, but the priestess Melissa, who in virtue of the 
ring now appeared in her true person. She told him 
of the motives which had led her to come to his 
rescue, of the griefs and regrets of Bradamante, and 
of her unwearied search for him. " That charming 
Amazon," she said, " sends you this ring, which is a 
sovereign antidote to all enchantments. She would 
have sent you her heart in my hands, if it would 
have had greater power to serve you." 

It was needless for Melissa to say more. Rogero's 
love for Alcina, being but the work of enchantment, 
vanished as soon as the enchantment was withdrawn, 
and he now hated her with an equal intensity, seeing 
no longer anything in her but her vices, and feeling 
only resentment for the shame that she had put upon 
him. 

His surprise when he again beheld Alcina was no 



126 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

less than his indignation. Fortified by his ring from 
her enchantments, he saw her as she was, a monster 
of ugliness. All her charms were artificial, and, truly 
viewed, were rather deformities. She was, in fact, 
older than Hecnba or the Sibyl of Cumse ; but an art, 
which it is to be regretted our times have lost, enabled 
her to appear charming, and to clothe herself in all 
the attractions of youth. Rogero now saw all this, 
but, governed by the counsels of Melissa, he concealed 
Ins surprise, assumed under some pretext his armor, 
long neglected, and bound to his side Belisarda, his 
trusty sword, taking also the buckler of Atlantes, 
covered with its veil. 

He then selected a horse from the stables of Alcina, 
without exciting her suspicions ; but he left the Hippo- 
griff, by the advice of Melissa, who promised to take 
him in charge, and train him to a more manageable 
state. The horse he took was Rabican, which be- 
longed to Astolpho. He restored the ring to Melissa. 

Rogero had not ridden far when he met one of 
the huntsmen of Alcina, bearing a falcon on his wrist, 
and followed by a dog. The huntsman was mounted 
on a powerful horse, and came boldly up to the pala- 
din, demanding, in a somewhat imperious manner, 
whither he was going so rapidly. Rogero disdained 
to stop or to reply ; whereupon the huntsman, not 



ASTOLPHO AND THE ENCHANTRESS. 127 

doubting that he was about making his escape, said, 
" What if I, with my falcon, stop your ride ? " So 
saying, he threw off the bird, which even Rabican 
could not equal in speed. The huntsman then leapt 
from his horse, and the animal, open-mouthed, darted 
after Rogero with the swiftness of an arrow. The 
huntsman also ran as if the wind or fire bore him, 
and the dog was equal to Rabican in swiftness. 
Rogero, finding flight impossible, stopped and faced 
his pursuers ; but his sword was useless against such 
foes. The insolent huntsman assailed him with words, 
and struck him with his whip, the only weapon he had ; 
the dog bit his feet, and the horse drove at him with 
his hoofs. At the same time, the falcon flew over his 
head and over Rabican's, and attacked them with claws 
and wings, so that the horse in his fright began to be 
unmanageable. At that moment the sound of trumpets 
and cymbals was heard in the valley, and it was 
evident that Alcina had ordered out all her array to 
go in pursuit. Rogero felt that there was no time to 
be lost, and luckily remembered the shield of Atlantes, 
which he bore suspended from his neck. He unveiled 
it, and the charm worked wonderfully. The hunts- 
man, the dog, the horse, fell flat ; the trembling wings 
of the falcon could no longer sustain her, and she fell 
senseless to the ground. Rogero, rid of their annoy- 
ances, left them in their trance, and rode awav. 



128 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

Meanwhile Alcina, with all the force she could mus- 
ter, sallied forth from her palace in pursuit. Melissa, 
left behind, took advantage of the opportunity to ran- 
sack all the rooms, protected by the ring. She undid 
one by one all the talismans and spells which she 
found, broke the seals, burned the images, and untied 
the hag-knots. Thence, hurrying through the fields, she 
disenchanted the victims changed into trees, fountains, 
stones, or brutes ; all of whom recovered their liberty, 
and vowed eternal gratitude to their deliverer. They 
made their escape, with all possible despatch, to the 
realms of the good Logestilla, whence they departed 
to their several homes. 

Astolpho was the first whom Melissa liberated, for 
Rogero had particularly recommended him to her care. 
She aided him to recover his arms, and particularly 
that precious golden-headed lance which once was 
ArgahVs. The enchantress mounted with him upon 
the winged horse, and in a short time arrived through 
the air at the castle of Logestilla, where Rogero joined 
them soon after. 

In this abode the friends passed a short period of 
delightful and improving intercourse with the sage 
Logestilla and her virtuous court; and then each 
departed, Rogero with the Hippogriff, ring, and buck- 
ler ; Astolpho with his golden lance, and mounted 



ASTOLPHO AND THE ENCHANTRESS. 129 

on Rabican, the fleetest of steeds. To Rogero Loge- 
stilla gave a bit and bridle suited to govern the Hip- 
pogriff; and to Astolpho a horn of marvellous powers, 
to be sounded only when all other weapons were 
unavailing. 




THE ORC 



WE ^ft tne charming Angelica at the moment 
wnen, in her flight from her contending 
lovers, Sacripant and Rinaldo, she met an aged her- 
mit. "We have seen that her request to the hermit 
was to furnish her the means of gaining the sea-coast, 
eager to avoid Rinaldo, whom she hated, by leaving 
France and Europe itself. The pretended hermit, who 
was no other than a vile magician, knowing well that 
it would not be agreeable to his false gods to aid 
Angelica in this undertaking, feigned to comply with 
her desire. He supplied her a horse, into which he 
had by his arts caused a subtle devil to enter, and, 



THE ORC. 131 

having mounted Angelica on the animal, directed her 
what course to take to reach the sea. 

Angelica rode on her way without suspicion, but 
when arrived at the shore, the demon urged the ani- 
mal headlong into the water. Angelica in vain at- 
tempted to turn him back to the land ; he continued 
his course till, as night approached, he landed with 
his burden on a sandy headland. 

Angelica, finding herself alone, abandoned in this 
frightful solitude, remained without movement, as if 
stupefied, with hands joined and eyes turned towards 
heaven, till at last, pouring forth a torrent of tears, 
she exclaimed: "Cruel fortune, have you not yet ex- 
hausted your rage against me ! To what new miseries 
do you doom me ? Alas ! then, finish your work ! 
Deliver me a prey to some ferocious beast, or by 
whatever fate you choose bring me to an end. I will 
be thankful to you for terminating my life and my 
misery." At last, exhausted by her sorrows, she fell 
asleep, and sunk prostrate on the sand. 

Before recounting what next befell, we must declare 
what place it was upon which the unhappy lady was 
now thrown. In the sea that washes the coast of 
Ireland there is an island called Ebuda, whose inhab- 
itants, once numerous, had been wasted by the anger 
of Proteus till there were now but few left. This 



1C2 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

deity was incensed by some neglect of the usual 
honors which he had in old times received from the 
inhabitants of the land, and, to execute his vengeance, 
had sent a horrid sea-monster, called an Ore, to devour 
them. Such were the terrors of his ravages, that the 
whole people of the isle had shut themselves up in the 
principal town, and relied on their walls alone to pro- 
tect them. In this distress they applied to the Oracle 
for advice, and were directed to appease the wrath of 
the sea-monster by offering to him the fairest virgin 
that the country could produce. 

Now it so happened that the very day when this 
dreadful oracle was announced, and when the fatal 
mandate had gone forth to seek among the fairest 
maidens of the land one to be offered to the monster, 
some sailors, landing on the beach where Angelica was, 
beheld that beauty as she lay asleep. 

O blind Chance ! whose power in human affairs is 
but too great, canst thou then abandon to the teeth of 
a horrible monster those charms which different sover- 
eigns took arms against one another to possess ? Alas ! 
the lovely Angelica is destined to be the victim of 
those cruel islanders. 

Still asleep, she was bound by the Ebudians, and it 
was not until she was carried on board the vessel that 
she came to a knowledge of her situation. The wind 



THE ORC. 133 

filled the sails and wafted the ship swiftly to the port, 
where all that beheld her agreed that she was un- 
questionably the victim selected by Proteus himself 
to be his prey. Who can tell the screams, the mortal 
anguish of this unhappy maiden, the reproaches she 
addressed even to the heavens themselves, when the 
dreadful information of her cruel fate was made known 
to her ? I cannot ; let me rather turn to a happier 
part of my story. 

Rogero left the palace of Logestilla, careering on his 
flying courser far above the tops of the mountains, 
and borne westward by the Hippogriff, which he 
guided with ease, by means of the bridle that Melissa 
had given him. Anxious as he was to recover Brada- 
mante, he could not fail to be delighted at the view 
his rapid flight presented of so many vast regions and 
populous countries as he passed over in his career. 
At last he approached the shores of England, and per- 
ceived an immense army in all the splendor of mili- 
tary pomp, as if about to go forth flushed with hopes 
of victory. He caused the Hippogriff to alight not 
far from the scene, and found himself immediately sur- 
rounded by admiring spectators, knights and soldiers, 
who could not enough indulge their curiosity and 
wonder. Rogero learned, in reply to his questions, 
that the fine array of troops before him was the army 



134 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

destined to go to the aid of the French Emperor, in 
compliance with the request presented by the illustrious 
Rinaldo, as ambassador of King Charles, his uncle. 

By this time the curiosity of the English chevaliers 
was partly gratified in beholding the Hippogriff at 
rest, and Rogero, to renew then' surprise and delight, 
remounted the animal, and, clapping spurs to his sides, 
made him launch into the air with the rapidity of a 
meteor, and directed his flight still westwardly, till he 
came within sight of the coasts of Ireland. Here he 
descried what seemed to be a fair damsel, alone, fast 
chained to a rock which projected into the sea. What 
was his astonishment when, drawing nigh, he beheld 
the beautiful princess Angelica. That day she had 
been led forth and bound to the rock, there to wait 
till the sea-monster should come to devour her. Roge- 
ro exclaimed as he came near, " What cruel hands, 
what barbarous soul, what fatal chance can have loaded 
thee with those chains ? " Angelica replied by a tor- 
rent of tears, at first her only response ; then, in a 
trembling voice, she disclosed to him the horrible des- 
tiny for which she was there exposed. While she 
spoke, a terrible roaring was heard far off on the sea. 
The huge monster soon came in sight, part of his 
body appearing above the waves, and part concealed. 
Angelica, half dead with fear, abandoned herself to 
despair. 



„THE ORC. 135 

Rogero, lance in rest, spurred his Hippogriff toward 
the Ore, and gave him a thrust. The horrible mon- 
ster was like nothing that nature produces. It was 
but one mass of tossing and twisting body, with 
nothing of the animal but head, eyes, and mouth, the 
last furnished with tusks like those of the wild boar. 
Rogero's lance had struck him between the eyes ; but 
rock and iron are not more impenetrable than were 
his scales. The knight, seeing the fruitlessness of the 
first blow, prepared to give a second. The animal, 
beholding upon the water the shadow of the great 
wings of the Hippogriff, abandoned his prey, and 
turned to seize what seemed nearer. Rogero took the 
opportunity, and dealt him furious blows on various 
parts of his body, taking care to keep clear of his 
murderous teeth ; but the scales resisted every attack. 
The Ore beat the water with his tail till he raised a 
foam which enveloped Rogero and his steed, so that 
the knight hardly knew whether he was in the water 
or the air. He began to fear that the wings of the 
Hippogriff would be so drenched with water that they 
would cease to sustain him. At that moment Rogero 
bethought him of the magic shield which hung at his 
saddle-bow ; but the fear that Angelica would also be 
blinded by its glare, discouraged him from employing 
it. Then he remembered the ring which Melissa had 



136 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

given him, the power of which he had so lately 
proved. He hastened to Angelica, and placed it on 
her finger. Then, uncovering the buckler, he turned 
its bright disk full in the face of the detestable Ore. 
The effect was instantaneous. The monster, deprived 
of sense and motion, rolled over on the sea, and lay 
floating on his back. Rogero would fain have tried 
the effect of his lance on the now exposed parts, but 
Angelica implored him to lose no time in delivering 
her from her chains, before the monster should revive. 
Rogero, moved with her entreaties, hastened to do so, 
and, having unbound her, made her mount behind him 
on the Hippogriff. The animal, spurning the earth, 
shot up into the air, and rapidly sped his way through 
it. Rogero, to give time to the princess to rest after 
her cruel agitations, soon sought the earth again, 
alighting on the shore of Brittany. Near the shore a 
thick wood presented itself, which resounded with the 
songs of birds. In the midst, a fountain of transparent 
water bathed the turf of a little meadow. A gentle 
hill rose near by. Rogero, making the Hippogriff 
alight in the meadow, dismounted, and took Angelica 
from the horse. 

"When the first tumults of emotion had subsided, 
Angelica, casting her eyes downward, beheld the 
precious ring upon her finger, whose virtues she was 



THE OEC. 137 

well acquainted with, for it was the very ring which 
the Saracen Brunello had robbed her of. She drew 
it from her finger and placed it in her mouth, and, 
quicker than we can tell it, disappeared from the sight 
of the paladin. 

Rogero looked around him on all sides, like one 
frantic, but soon remembered the ring which he had 
so lately placed on her finger. Struck with the in- 
gratitude which could thus recompense his services, 
he exclaimed : " Thankless beauty, is this then the re- 
ward you make me ? Do you prefer to rob me of my 
ring rather than receive it as a gift ? Willingly would 
I have given it to you, had you but asked it." Thus 
he said, searching on all sides, with arms extended, like 
a blind man, hoping to recover by the touch what 
was lost to sight ; but he sought in vain. The cruel 
beauty was already far away. 

Though sensible of her obligations to her deliverer, 
her first necessity was for clothing, food, and repose. 
She soon reached a shepherd's hut, where, entering 
unseen, she found what sufficed for her present relief. 
An old herdsman inhabited the hut, whose charge 
consisted of a drove of mares. "When recruited by 
repose, Angelica selected one of the mares from the 
flock, and, mounting the animal, felt. the desire revive 
in her mind of returning to her home in the East, 



138 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

and for that purpose would gladly have accepted the 
protection of Orlando or of Sacripant across those 
wide regions which divided her from her own country. 
In hopes of meeting with one or the other of them, 
she pursued her way. 

Meanwhile, Rogero, despairing of seeing Angelica 
again, returned to the tree where he had left his 
winged horse, but had the mortification to find that 
the animal had broken his bridle and escaped. This 
loss, added to his previous disappointment, overwhelmed 
him with vexation. Sadly he gathered up his arms, 
threw his buckler over his shoulders, and, taking the 
first path that offered, soon found himself within the 
verge of a dense and wide-spread forest. 

He had proceeded for some distance when he heard 
a noise on his right, and, listening attentively, dis- 
tinguished the clash of arms. He made his way 
toward the place whence the sound proceeded, and 
found two warriors engaged in mortal combat. One 
of them was a knight of a noble and manly bearing, 
the other a fierce giant. The knight appeared to 
exert consummate address in defending himself against 
the massive club of the giant, evading his strokes, or 
parrying them with sword or shield. Rogero stood 
spectator of the combat, for he did not allow himself 
to interfere in it, though a secret sentiment inclined 



THE OEC. 139 

him strongly to take part with the knight. At length 
he saw with grief the massive club fall directly on the 
head of the knight, who yielded to the blow, and fell 
prostrate. The giant sprang forward to despatch him, 
and for that purpose unlaced his helmet, when Rogero, 
with dismay, recognized the face of Bradamante. He 
cried aloud, " Hold, miscreant ! " and sprang forward 
with drawn sword. Whereupon the giant, as if he 
cared not to enter upon another combat, lifted Brada- 
mante on his shoulders, and ran with her into the 
forest. 

Rogero plunged after him, but the long legs of the 
giant carried him forward so fast that the paladin could 
hardly keep him in sight. At length they issued from 
the wood, and Rogero perceived before him a rich 
palace, built of marble, and adorned with sculptures 
executed by a master hand. Into this edifice, through 
a golden door, the giant passed, and Rogero followed ; 
but, on looking round, saw nowhere either the giant 
or Bradamante. He ran from room to room, calling 
aloud on his cowardly foe to turn and meet him ; but 
got no response, nor caught another glimpse of the 
giant or his prey. In his vain pursuit he met, with- 
out knowing them, Ferrau, Florismart, King Gradasso, 
Orlando, and many others, all of whom had been en- 
trapped like himself into this enchanted castle. It was 



140 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

a new stratagem of the magician Atlantes to draw 
Rogero into his power, and to secure also those who 
might by any chance endanger his safety. What Ro* 
gero had taken for Bradamante was a mere phantom. 
That charming lady was far away, full of anxiety for 
her Rogero, whose coming she had long expected. 

The Emperor had committed to her charge the city 
and garrison of Marseilles, and she held the post 
against the infidels with valor and discretion. One 
day Melissa suddenly presented herself before her. 
Anticipating her questions, she said, " Fear not for 
Rogero ; he lives, and is as ever true to you ; but he 
has lost his liberty. The fell enchanter has again suc- 
ceeded in making him a prisoner. If you would de- 
liver him, mount your horse and follow me." She told 
her in what manner Atlantes had deceived Rogero, in 
deluding his eyes with the phantom of herself in peril. 
" Such," she continued, " will be his arts in your own 
case, if you penetrate the forest and approach that 
castle. You will think you behold Rogero, when, in 
fact, you see only the enchanter himself. Be not de- 
ceived, plunge your sword into his body, and trust me 
when I tell you that, in slaying him, you will restore 
not only Rogero, but with him many of the bravest 
knights of France, whom the wizard's arts have with- 
drawn from the camp of their sovereign." 



THE ORC. 141 

Bradamante promptly armed lierself, and mounted 
her horse. Melissa led her by forced journeys, by 
field and forest, beguiling the way with conversation 
on the theme which interested her hearer most. When 
at last they reached the forest, she repeated once more 
her instructions, and then took her leave, for fear the 
enchanter might espy her, and be put on his guard. 

Bradamante rode on about two miles when suddenly 
she beheld Rogero, as it appeared to her, hard pressed 
by two fierce giants. While she hesitated, she heard 
his voice calling on her for help. At once the cau- 
tions of Melissa lost their weight. A sudden doubt of 
the faith and truth of her kind monitress flashed across 
her mind. " Shall I not believe my own eyes and 
ears ? " she said, and rushed forward to his defence. 
Rogero fled, pursued by the giants, and Bradamante 
followed, passing with them through the castle gate. 
When there, Bradamante was undeceived, for neither 
giant nor knight was to be seen. She found herself a 
prisoner, but had not the consolation of knowing that 
she shared the imprisonment of her beloved. She saw 
various forms of men and women, but could recognize 
none of them ; and their lot was the same with respect 
to her. Each viewed the others under some illusion 
of the fancy, wearing the semblance of giants, dwarfs, 
or even four-footed animals, so that there was no com- 
panionship or communication between them. 



ASTOLPHO'S ADVENTURES CONTIN- 
UED, AND ISABELLA'S BEGUN. 

WHEN Astolpho escaped from the cruel Alcina, 
after a short abode in the realm of the virtu- 
ous Logestilla, he desired to return to his native 
country. Logestilla lent him the best vessel of her 
fleet to convey him to the mainland. She gave him 
at parting a wonderful book, which taught the secret 
of overcoming all manner of enchantments, and begged 
him to carry it always with him, out of regard for 
her. She also gave him another gift, which surpassed 
everything of the kind that mortal workmanship can 
frame ; yet it was nothing in appearance but a simple 
horn. 

Astolpho, protected by these gifts, thanked the good 
fairy, took leave of her, and set out on his return to 
France. His voyage was prosperous, and on reaching 
the desired port he took leave of the faithful mariners, 
and continued his journey by land. As he proceeded 
over mountains and through valleys, he often met 
with bands of robbers, wild beasts, and venomous ser- 



ASTOLPHO'S ADVENTURES CONTINUED. 143 

pents, but he had only to sound his horn to put them 
all to flight. 

Having landed in France, and traversed many 
provinces on his way to the army, he one day, in 
crossing a forest, arrived beside a fountain, and alight- 
ed to drink. While he stooped at the fountain, a 
young rustic sprang from the copse, mounted Rabican, 
and rode away. It was a new trick of the enchanter 
Atlantes. Astolpho, hearing the noise, turned his 
head just in time to see his loss ; and, starting up, 
pursued the thief, who, on his part, did not press the 
horse to his full speed, but just kept in sight of his 
pursuer till they both issued from the forest; and 
then Rabican and his rider took shelter in a castle 
which stood near. Astolpho followed, and penetrated 
without difficulty within the court-yard of the castle, 
where he looked around for the rider and his horse, 
but could see no trace of either, nor any person of 
whom he could make inquiry. Suspecting that en- 
chantment was employed to embarrass him, he be- 
thought him of his book, and on consulting it dis- 
covered that his suspicions were well founded. He 
also learned what course to pursue. He was directed 
to raise the stone which served as a threshold, under 
which a spirit lay pent, who would willingly escape, 
and leave the castle free of access. Astolpho applied 



144 LEGENDS OF CHAKLEMAGNE. 

his strength to lift aside the stone. Thereupon the 
magician put his arts in force. The castle was full 
of prisoners, and the magician caused that to all of 
them Astolpho should appear in some false guise, — 
to some a wild beast, to others a giant, to others 
a bird of prey. Thus all assailed him, and would 
quickly have made an end of him, if he had not 
bethought him of his horn. No sooner had he blown 
a blast than, at the horrid larum, fled the cavaliers 
and the necromancer with them, like a flock of 
pigeons at the sound of the fowler's gun. Astolpho 
then renewed his efforts on the stone, and turned it 
over. The under face was all inscribed with magical 
characters, which the knight defaced, as directed by 
his book; and no sooner had he done so, than the 
castle, with its walls and turrets, vanished into smoke. 
The knights and ladies set at liberty were, besides 
Rogero and Bradamante, Orlando, Gradasso, Floris- 
mart, and many more. At the sound of the horn 
they fled, one and all, men and steeds, except. Rabi- 
can, which Astolpho secured, in spite of his terror. 
As soon as the sound had ceased, Rogero recognized 
Bradamante, whom he had daily met during their 
imprisonment, but had been prevented from know- 
ing by the enchanter's arts. No words can tell the 
delight with which they recognized each other, and 



ASTOLPHO'S ADVENTURES CONTINUED. 145 

recounted mutually all that had happened to each 
since they were parted. Rogero took advantage of the 
opportunity to press his suit, and found Bradamante 
as propitious as he could wish, were it not for a single 
obstacle, the difference of their faiths. " If he would 
obtain her in marriage," she said, "he must in due 
form demand her of her father, Duke Aymon, and must 
abandon his false prophet, and become a Christian." 
The latter step was one which Rogero had for some 
time intended taking, for reasons of his own. He 
therefore gladly accepted the terms, and proposed that 
they should at once repair to the abbey of Vallom- 
brosa, whose towers were visible at no great distance. 
Thither they turned their horses' heads, and we will 
leave them to find their way without our company. 

I know not if my readers recollect that, at the 
moment when Rogero had just delivered Angelica 
from the voracious Ore, that scornful beauty placed 
her ring in her mouth, and vanished out of sight. At 
the same time the Hippogriff shook off his bridle, 
soared away, and flew to rejoin his former master, 
very naturally returning to his accustomed stable. 
Here Astolpho found him, to his very great delight. 
He knew the animal's powers, having seen Rogero ride 
him, and he longed to fly abroad over all the earth, 
and see various nations and peoples from his airy 
7 j 



146 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

course. He had heard Logestilla's directions how to 
guide the animal, and saw her fit a bridle to his head. 
He therefore was able, out of all the bridles he found 
in the stable, to select one suitable, and, placing Rabi- 
can's saddle on the HippogrifF's back, nothing seemed 
to prevent his immediate departure. Yet before he 
went, he bethought him of placing Rabican in hands 
where he would be safe, and whence he might recover 
him in time of need. While he stood deliberating 
where he should find a messenger, he saw Brada- 
mante approach. That fair warrior had been parted 
from Rogero on their way to the abbey of Vallom- 
brosa, by an inopportune adventure which had called 
the knight away. She was now returning to Mont- 
alban, having arranged with Rogero to join her there. 
To Bradamante, therefore, his fair cousin, Astolpho 
committed Rabican, and also the lance of gold, which 
would only be an encumbrance in his aerial excursion. 
Bradamante took charge of both ; and Astolpho, bid- 
ding her farewell, soared in air. 



Among those delivered by Astolpho from the magi- 
cian's castle was Orlando. Following the guide of 
chance, the paladin found himself at the close of day 
in a forest, and stopped at the foot of a mountain. 



ISABELLA'S ADVENTUKES BEGUN. 147 

Surprised to discern a light which came from a cleft 
in the rock, he approached, guided by the ray, and 
discovered a narrow passage in the mountain - side, 
which led into a deep grotto. 

Orlando fastened his horse, and then, putting aside 
the bushes that resisted his passage, stepped down from 
rock to rock till he reached a sort of cavern. Enter- 
ing it, he perceived a lady, young and handsome, as 
well as he could discover through the signs of distress 
which agitated her countenance. Her only companion 
was an old woman, who seemed to be regarded by 
her young partner with terror and indignation. The 
courteous paladin saluted the women respectfully, and 
begged to know by whose barbarity they had been 
subjected to such imprisonment. 

The younger lady replied, in a voice often broken 
with sobs : — 

• " Though I know well that my recital will subject 
me to worse treatment by the barbarous man who 
keeps me here, to whom this woman will not fail 
to report it, yet I will not hide from you the facts. 
Ah ! why should I fear his rage ? * If he should take 
my life, I know not what better boon than death I 
can ask. 

" My name is Isabella. I am the daughter of the 
king of Galicia, or rather I should say misfortune 



148 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

and grief are my parents. Young, rich, modest, and 
of tranquil temper, all things appeared to combine to 
render my lot happy. Alas ! I see myself to-day 
poor, humbled, miserable, and destined perhaps to yet 
further afflictions. It is a year since, my father having 
given notice that he would open the lists for a tour- 
nament at Bayonne, a great number of chevaliers from 
all quarters came together at our court. Among these, 
Zerbino, son of the king of Scotland, victorious in all 
combats, eclipsed by his beauty and his valor all the 
rest. Before departing from the court of Galicia he 
testified the wish to espouse me, and I consented that 
he should demand my hand of the king, my father. 
But I was a Mahometan, and Zerbino a Christian, 
and my father refused his consent. The prince, called 
home by his father to take command of the forces 
destined to the assistance of the French Emperor, pre- 
vailed on me to be married to him secretly, and to 
follow him to Scotland. He caused a galley to be 
prepared to receive me, and placed in command of it 
the chevalier Oderic, a Biscayan, famous for his ex- 
ploits both by land and sea. On the day appointed, 
Oderic brought his vessel to a sea-side resort of my 
father's, where I embarked. Some of my domestics 
accompanied me, and thus I departed from my native 
land. 



ISABELLA'S ADVENTUEES BEGUN. 149 

" Sailing with a fair wind, after some hours we were 
assailed by a violent tempest. It was to no purpose that 
we took in all sail ; we were driven before the wind 
directly upon the rocky shore. Seeing no other hopes 
of safety, Oderic placed me in a boat, followed himself 
with a few of his men, and made for land. We 
reached it through infinite peril, and I no sooner felt 
the firm land beneath my feet, than I knelt down and 
poured out heart-felt thanks to the Providence that had 
preserved me. 

" The shore where we landed appeared to be unin- 
habited. We saw no dwelling to shelter us, no road 
to lead us to a more hospitable spot. A high moun- 
tain rose before us, whose base stretched into the sea. 
It was here the infamous Oderic, in spite of my tears 
and entreaties, sold me to a band of pirates, who fan- 
cied I might be an acceptable present to their prince, 
the Sultan of Morocco. This cavern is their den, and 
here they keep me under the guard of this woman, un- 
til it shall suit their convenience to carry me away." 

Isabella had hardly finished her recital, when a troop 
of armed men began to enter the cavern. Seeing the 
prince Orlando, one said to the rest, " What bird is 
this we have caught, without even setting a snare for 
him?' , Then addressing Orlando, "It was truly civil 
in you, friend, to come hither with that handsome 



150 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

coat of armor and vest, the very things I want." 
" You shall pay for them, then," said Orlando ; and, 
seizing a half-burnt brand from the fire, he hurled it 
at him, striking his head, and stretching him lifeless 
on the floor. 

There was a massy table in the middle of the 
cavern, used for the pirates' repasts. Orlando lifted it 
and hurled it at the robbers as they stood clustered in 
a group toward the entrance. Half the gang were 
laid prostrate, with broken heads and limbs ; the rest 
got away as nimbly as they could. 

Leaving the den and its inmates to their fate, Or- 
lando, taking Isabella under his protection, pursued 
his way, for some days, without meeting with any 
adventure. 

One day they saw a band of men advancing, who 
seemed to be guarding a prisoner, bound hand and 
foot, as if being carried to execution. The prisoner 
was a youthful cavalier, of a noble and ingenuous 
appearance. The band bore the ensigns of Count An- 
selm, head of the treacherous house of Maganza. Or- 
lando desired Isabella to wait, while he rode forward 
to inquire the meaning of this array. Approaching, he 
demanded of the leader who his prisoner was, and of 
what crime he had been guilty. The man replied, 
that the prisoner was a murderer, by whose hand 



ISABELLA'S ADVENTUEES BEGUN. 151 

Pinabel, the son of Count Anselm, had been treacher- 
ously slain. At these words, the prisoner exclaimed, 
"I am no murderer, nor have I been in any way the 
cause of the young man's death." Orlando, knowing 
the cruel and ferocious character of the chiefs of the 
house of Maganza, needed no more to satisfy him 
that the youth was the victim of injustice. He com- 
manded the leader of the troop to release his victim, 
and, receiving an insolent reply, dashed him to the 
earth with a stroke of his lance ; then, by a few 
vigorous blows, dispersed the band, leaving deadly 
marks on those who were slowest to quit the field. 

Orlando then hastened to unbind the prisoner, and 
to assist him to reclothe himself in his armor, which 
the false Magencian had dared to assume. He then 
led him to Isabella, who now approached the scene 
of action. How can we picture the joy, the astonish- 
ment, with which Isabella recognized in him Zerbino, 
her husband, and the prince discovered her whom he 
had believed overwhelmed in the waves ! They em- 
braced one another, and wept for joy. Orlando, sharing 
in their happiness, congratulated himself in having been 
the instrument of it. The princess recounted to Zer- 
bino what the illustrious paladin had done for her, 
and the prince threw himself at Orlando's feet, and 
thanked him as having twice preserved his life. 



152 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

While these exchanges of congratulation and thank- 
fulness were going on, a sound in the underwood 
attracted their attention, and caused the two knights 
to brace their helmets and stand on their guard. 
What the cause of the interruption was, we shall 
record in another chapter. 




MEDORO. 



FRANCE was at this time the theatre of dreadful 
events. The Saracens and the Christians, in 
numerous encounters, slew one another. On one oc- 
casion Rinaldo led an attack on the infidel columns, 
broke and scattered them, till he found himself oppo- 
site to a knight whose armor (whether by accident 
or choice, it matters not) bore the blazon of Orlando. 
It was Dardinel, the young and brave prince of Zu- 
mara, and Rinaldo remarked him by the slaughter 
he spread all around. " Ah," said he to himself, 
" let us pluck up this dangerous plant before it has 
grown to its full height." 



154 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

As Rinaldo advanced, the crowd opened before him, 
the Christians to let his sword have free course, the 
Pagans to escape its sweep. Dardinel and he stood 
face to face. Rinaldo exclaimed, fiercely, "Young 
man, whoever gave you that noble buckler to bear 
made you a dangerous gift; I should like to see how 
you are able to defend those quarterings, red and 
white. If you cannot defend them against me, how 
pray will you do so when Orlando challenges them ? " 
Dardinel replied : " Thou shalt learn that I can defend 
the arms I bear, and shed new glory upon them. No 
one shall rend them from me but with life." Saying 
these words, Dardinel rushed upon Rinaldo with 
sword uplifted. 

The chill of mortal terror filled the souls of the 
Saracens when they beheld Rinaldo advance to attack 
the prince, like a lion against a young bull. The first 
blow came from the hand of Dardinel, and the 
weapon rebounded from Mambrino's helmet without 
effect. Rinaldo smiled, and said, " I will now show 
you if my strokes are more effectual." At these 
words, he thrust the unfortunate Dardinel in the 
middle of his breast. The blow was so violent, that 
the cruel weapon pierced the body, and came out a 
palm-breadth behind his back. Through this wound 
the life of Dardinel issued with his blood, and his 
body fell helpless to the ground. 



MEDOEO. 155 

As a flower which the passing plough has uprooted 
languishes, and droops its head, so Dardinel, his visage 
covered with the paleness of death, expires, and the 
hopes of an illustrious race perish with him. 

Like waters kept back by a dike, which, when the 
dike is broken, spread abroad through all the country, 
so the Moors, no longer kept in column by the 
example of Dardinel, fled in all directions. Rinaldo 
despised too much such easy victories to pursue them ; 
he wished for no combats but with brave men. At 
the same time, the other paladins made terrible slaugh- 
ter of the Moors. Charles himself, Oliver, Guido, and 
Ogier the Dane, carried death into their ranks on all 
sides. 

The infidels seemed doomed to perish to a man on 
that dreadful day ; but the wise king, Marsilius, at last 
put some slight degree of method into the general 
rout. He collected the remnant of the troops, formed 
them into a battalion, and retreated in tolerable order 
to his camp. That camp was well fortified by in- 
trenchments and a broad ditch. Thither the fugitives 
hastened, and by degrees all that remained of the 
Moorish army was brought together there. 

The Emperor might perhaps that night have crushed 
his enemy entirely ; but not thinking it prudent to 
expose his troops, fatigued as they were, to an attack 



156 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

upon a camp so well fortified, he contented himself 
with encompassing the enemy with his troops, pre- 
pared to make a regular siege. During the night, the 
Moors had time to see the extent of their loss. Their 
tents resounded with lamentations. This warrior had 
to mourn a brother, that a friend ; many suffered with 
grievous wounds, all trembled at the fate in store for 
them. 

There were two young Moors, both of humble rank, 
who gave proof at that time of attachment and fidelity 
rare in the history of man. Cloridan and Medoro 
had followed their prince, Dardinel, to the wars of 
France. Cloridan, a bold huntsman, combined strength 
with activity. Medoro was a mere youth, his cheeks 
yet fair and blooming. Of all the Saracens, no one 
united so much grace and beauty. His light hair was 
set off by his black and sparkling eyes. The two 
friends were together on guard at the rampart. 
About midnight they gazed on the scene in deep 
dejection. Medoro, with tears in his eyes, spoke of 
the good prince Dardinel, and could not endure the 
thought that his body should be cast out on the plain, 
deprived of funeral honors. " O my friend," said he, 
" must then the body of our prince be the prey of 
wolves and ravens ? Alas ! "when I remember how- 
he loved me, I feel that, if I should sacrifice my life 



MEDOKO. 157 

to do Mm honor, I should not do more than my duty. 
I wish, dear friend, to seek out his body on the battle- 
field, and give it burial, and I hope to be able to pass 
through King Charles's camp without discovery, as 
they are probably all asleep. You, Cloridan, will be 
able to say for me, if I should die in the adventure, 
that gratitude and fidelity to my prince were my in- 
ducements/' 

Cloridan was both surprised and touched with this 
proof of the young man's devotion. He loved him 
tenderly, and tried for a long time every effort to dis- 
suade him from his design ; but he found Medoro de- 
termined to accomplish his object or die in the 
endeavor. 

Cloridan, unable to change his purpose, said, "I 
will go with you, Medoro, and help you in this gener- 
ous enterprise. I value not life compared with honor, 
and if I did, do you suppose, dear friend, that I could 
live without you ? I would rather fall by the arms 
of our enemies than die of grief for the loss of you." 

When the two friends were relieved from their 
guard duty, they went without any followers into the 
camp of the Christians. All there was still; the fires 
were dying out; there was no fear of any attempt on 
the part of the Sarap^g, and the soldiers, overcome by 
fatigue or wine, slept secure, lying upon the ground in 



158 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

the midst of their arms and equipage. Cloridan stopped, 
and said, " Medoro, I am not going to quit this camp 
without taking vengeance for the death of our prince. 
Keep watch, he on your guard that no one shall sur- 
prise us ; I mean to mark a road with my sword 
through the ranks of our enemies." So saying, he 
entered the tent where Alpheus slept, who a year 
before had joined the camp of Charles, and pretended 
to be a great physician and astrologer. But his 
science had deceived him, if it gave him hope of 
dying peacefully in his bed at a good old age ; his lot 
was to die with little warning. Cloridan ran his 
sword through his heart. A Greek and a German 
followed, who had been playing late at dice : fortunate 
if they had continued their game a little longer ; but 
they never reckoned a throw like this among their 
chances. Cloridan next came to the unlucky Grill on, 
whose head lay softly on his pillow. He dreamed 
probably of the feast from which he had but just 
retired ; for when Cloridan cut off his head, wine 
flowed forth with the blood. 

The two young Moors might have penetrated even 
to the tent of Charlemagne ; but knowing that the 
paladins encamped around him, kept watch by turns, 
and judging that it was impossible they should all be 
asleep, they were afraid to go too near. They might 



MEDOEO. 159 

also have obtained rich booty; but, intent only on their 
object, they crossed the camp, and arrived at length at 
the bloody field, where bucklers, lances, and swords 
lay scattered in the midst of corpses of poor and rich, 
common soldier and prince, horses and pools of blood. 
This terrible scene of carnage would have destroyed 
all hope of finding what they were in search of until 
dawn of day, were it not that the moon lent the aid 
of her uncertain rays. 

Medoro raised his eyes to the planet, and exclaimed, 
" O holy goddess, whom our fathers have adored 
under three different forms, — thou who displayest thy 
power in heaven, on earth, and in the under-world, — 
thou who art seen foremost among the nymphs chasing 
the beasts of the forest, — cause me to see, I implore 
thee, the spot where my dear master lies, and make 
me all my life long follow the example which thou 
dost exhibit of works of charity and love." 

Either by accident, or that the moon was sensible 
of the prayer of Medoro, the cloud broke away, and 
the moonlight burst forth as bright as day. The rays 
seemed especially to gild the spot where lay the body 
of Prince Dardinel; and Medoro, bathed in tears and 
with bleeding heart, recognized him by the quarterings 
of red and white on his shield. 

With groans stifled by his tears, and lamentations 



160 LEGENDS OF CHAKLEMAGNE. 

in accents suppressed, not from any fear for himself, 
for he cared not for life, but lest any one should be 
roused to interrupt their pious duty while yet incom- 
plete, he proposed to his companion that they should 
together bear Dardinel on their shoulders, sharing the 
burden of the beloved remains. 

Marching with rapid strides under their precious 
load, they perceived that the stars began to grow pale, 
and that the shades of night would soon be dispersed 
by the dawn. Just then Zerbino, whose extreme valor 
had urged him far from the camp in pursuit of the 
fugitives, returning, entered the wood in which they 
were. Some knights in his train perceived at a dis- 
tance the two brothers-in-arms. Cloridan saw the 
troop, and, observing that they dispersed themselves 
over the plain as if in search of booty, told Medoro 
to lay down the body, and let each save himself by 
flight. He dropped his part, thinking that Medoro 
would do the same ; but the good youth loved his 
prince too well to abandon him, and continued to 
carry his load singly as well as he might, while Clori- 
dan made his escape. Near by there was a part of 
the wood tufted as if nothing but wild animals had 
ever penetrated it. The unfortunate youth, loaded 
with the weight of his dead master, plunged into its 
recesses. 



MEDOEO. 161 

Cloridan, when he perceived that he had evaded 
his foes, discovered that Medoro was not with him. 
" Ah ! " exclaimed he, " how could I, dear Medoro, 
so forget myself as to consult my own safety without 
heeding yours ? " So saying, he retraced the tangled 
passes of the wood toward the place from whence he 
had fled. As he approached, he heard the noise of 
horses, and the menacing voices of armed men. Soon 
he perceived Medoro, on foot, with the cavaliers 
surrounding him. Zerbino, their commander, hade 
them seize him. The unhappy Medoro turned now 
this way, now that, trying to conceal himself be- 
hind an oak or a rock, still bearing the body, which 
he would by no means leave. Cloridan, not knowing 
how to help him, but resolved to perish with him, if 
he must perish, takes an arrow, fits it to his bow, dis- 
charges it$ and pierces the breast of a Christian 
knight, who falls helpless from his horse. The others 
look this way and that, to discover whence the fatal 
bolt was sped. One, while demanding of his com- 
rades in what direction the arrow came, received a 
second in his throat, which stopped his words, and 
soon closed his eyes to the scene. 

Zerbino, furious at the death of his two comrades, 
ran upon Medoro, seized his golden hair, and dragged 
him forward to slay him. But the sight of so much 



162 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

youth and beauty commanded pity. He stayed his arm. 
The young man spoke in suppliant tones. " Ah ! 
signor," said he, " I conjure you by the God whom 
you serve, deprive me not of life until I shall have 
buried the body of the prince, my master. Fear not 
that I will ask you any other favor; life is not dear 
to me; I desire death as soon as I shall have per- 
formed this sacred duty. Do with me then as you 
please. Give my limbs a prey to the birds and beasts; 
only let me first bury my prince." Medoro pro- 
nounced these words with an air so sweet and tender, 
that a heart of stone would have been moved by 
them. Zerbino was so to the bottom of his soul. He 
was on the point of uttering words of mercy, when 
a cruel subaltern, forgetting all respect to his com- 
mander, plunged his lance into the breast of the 
young Moor. Zerbino, enraged at this | brutality, 
turned upon the wretch to take vengeance, but he 
saved himself by a precipitate flight. 

Cloridan, who saw Medoro fall, could contain him- 
self no longer. He rushed from his concealment, 
threw down his bow, and, sword in hand, seemed 
only desirous of vengeance for Medoro, and to die 
with him. In a moment, pierced through and through 
with many wounds, he exerts the last remnant of his 
strength in dragging himself to Medoro, to die em- 



MEDOEO. 163 

bracing him. The cavaliers left them thus, to rejoin 
Zerbino, whose rage against the murderer of Medoro 
had drawn him away from the spot. 

Cloridan died; and Medoro, Bleeding copiously, was 
drawing near his end when help arrived. 

A young maiden approached the fallen knights at 
this critical moment. Her dress was that of a peasant- 
girl, but her air was noble and her beauty celestial; 
sweetness and goodness reigned in her lovely counte- 
nance. It was no other than Angelica, the Princess 
of Cathay. 

When she had recovered that precious ring, as we 
have before related, Angelica, knowing its value, felt 
proud in the power it conferred, travelled alone with- 
out fear, not without a secret shame that she had ever 
been obliged to seek protection in her wanderings of 
the Count Orlando and of Sacripant. She reproached 
herself too as with a weakness, that she had ever 
thought of marrying Rinaldo ; in fine, her pride grew 
so high as to persuade her that no man living was 
worthy to aspire to her hand. 

Moved with pity at the sight of the young man 
wounded, and melted to tears at hearing the cause, 
she quickly recalled to remembrance the knowledge 
she had acquired in India, where the virtues of plants 
and the art of healing formed part of the education 



164 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

even of princesses. The beautiful queen ran into 
the adjoining meadow to gather plants of virtue to 
stanch the flow of blood. Meeting on her way a 
countryman on horseback seeking a strayed heifer, 
she begged him to come to her assistance, and en- 
deavor to remove the wounded man to a more secure 
asylum. 

Angelica, having prepared the plants by bruising 
them between two stones, laid them with her fair 
hand on Medoro's wound. The remedy soon restored 
in some degree the strength of the wounded man, 
who, before he would quit the spot, made them cover 
with earth and turf the bodies of his friend and of 
the prince. Then surrendering himself to the pity of 
his deliverers, he allowed them to place him on the 
horse of the shepherd, and conduct him to his cottage. 
It was a pleasant farm-house on the borders of the 
wood, bearing marks of comfort and competency. 
There the shepherd lived with his wife and children. 
There Angelica tended Medoro, and there, by the 
devoted care of the beautiful queen, his sad wound 
closed over, and he recovered his perfect health. 

O Count Rinaldo, O King Sacripant ! what availed 
it you to possess so many virtues and such fame? 
What advantage have you derived from all your high 
deserts ? O hapless king, great Agrican ! if you 



MEDORO. 165 

could return to life, how would you endure to see 
yourself rejected by one who will bow to the yoke of 
Hymen in favor of a young soldier of humble birth? 
And thou, Ferrau, and ye numerous others who a 
hundred times have put your lives at hazard for this 
cruel beauty, how bitter will it be to you to see her 
sacrifice you all to the claims of the humble Medoro ! 

There, under the low roof of a shepherd, the flame 
of Hymen was lighted for this haughty queen. She 
takes the shepherd's wife to serve in place of mother, 
the shepherd and his children for witnesses, and mar- 
ries the happy Medoro. 

Angelica, after her marriage, wishing to endow 
Medoro with the sovereignty of the countries which 
yet remained to her, took with him the road to the 
East. She had preserved through all her adventures 
a bracelet of gold enriched with precious stones, the 
present of the Count Orlando. Having nothing else 
wherewith to reward the good shepherd and his wife, 
who had served her with so much care and fidelity, 
she took the bracelet from her arm and gave it to 
them, and then the newly-married couple directed 
their steps toward those mountains which separate 
France and Spain, intending to wait at Barcelona a 
vessel which should take them on their way to the 
East. 




ORLANDO MAD. 



ORLANDO, on the loss of Angelica, laid aside 
his crest and arms, and arrayed himself in a snit 
of black armor, expressive of his despair. In this 
guise he carried such slaughter among the ranks of 
the infidels, that both armies were astonished at the 
achievements of the stranger knight. Mandricardo, 
who had been absent from the battle, heard the report 
of these achievements, and determined to test for him- 
self the valor of the knight so extolled. He it was 
who broke in upon the conference of Zerbino and 
Isabella, and their benefactor Orlando, as they stood 
occupied in mutual felicitations, after the happy re- 
union of the lovers by the prowess of the paladin. 



ORLANDO MAD. 167 

Mandricardo, after contemplating the group for a 
moment, addressed himself to Orlando in these words : 
" Thou must be the man I seek. For ten days and 
more I have been on thy track. The fame of thy 
exploits has brought me hither, that I may measure 
my strength with thine. Thy crest and shield prove 
thee the same who spread such slaughter among our 
troops. But these marks are superfluous, and if I 
saw thee among a hundred I should know thee by thy 
martial bearing to be the man I seek." 

" I respect thy courage," said Orlando ; " such a 
design could not have sprung up in any but a brave 
and generous mind. If the desire to see me has 
brought thee hither, I would, if it were possible, show 
thee my inmost soul. I will remove my visor, that 
you may satisfy your curiosity; but when you have 
done so, I hope that you will also try and see if my 
valor corresponds to my appearance." 

" Come on," said the Saracen, " my first wish was 
to see and know thee; I will now gratify my second." 

Orlando, observing Mandricardo, was surprised to 
see no sword at his side, nor mace at his saddle-bow. 
"And what weapon hast thou," said he, "if thy 
lance fail thee?" 

" Do not concern yourself about that," said Mandri- 
cardo; "I have made many good knights give ground 



168 LEGENDS OF CHAELEMAGNE. 

with no other weapon than you see. Know that I 
have sworn an oath never to bear a sword until I win 
back that famous Durindana that Orlando, the paladin, 
carries. That sword belongs to the suit of armor 
which I wear; that only is wanting. Without doubt 
it was stolen, but how it got into the hands of Orlan- 
do I know not. But I will make him pay dearly for 
it when I find him. I seek him the more anxiously 
that I may avenge with his blood the death of King 
Agrican, my father, whom he treacherously slew. I 
am sure he must have done it by treachery, for it 
was not in his power to subdue in fair fight such a 
warrior as my father." 

" Thou liest," cried Orlando ; " and all who say so 
he. I am Orlando, whom you seek; yes, I am he 
who slew your father honorably. Hold, here is the 
sword: you shall have it if your courage avails to 
merit it. Though it belongs to me by right, I will 
not use it in this dispute. See, I hang it on this 
tree: you shall be master of it, if you bereave me of 
life ; not else." 

At these words, Orlando drew Durindana, and hung 
it on one of the branches of a tree near by. 

Both knights, boiling with equal ardor, rode off in 
a semicircle ; then rushed together with reins thrown 
loose, and struck one another with their lances. Both 



ORLANDO MAD. 169 

kept their seats, immovable. The splinters of their 
lances flew into the air, and no weapon remained for 
either but the fragment which he held in his hand. 
Then those two knights, covered with iron mail, were 
reduced to the necessity of fighting with staves, in the 
manner of two rustics, who dispute the boundary of a 
meadow, or the possession of a spring. 

These clubs could not long keep whole in the hands 
of such sturdy smiters, who were soon reduced to fight 
with naked fists. Such warfare was more painful to 
him that gave than to him that received the blows. 
They next clasped, and strained each his adversary, 
as Hercules did Antaeus. Mandricardo, more enraged 
than Orlando, made violent efforts to unseat the pala- 
din, and dropped the rein of his horse. Orlando, 
more calm, perceived it. With one hand he resisted 
Mandricardo, with the other he twitched the horse's 
bridle over the ears of the animal. The Saracen 
dragged Orlando with all his might, but Orlando's 
thighs held the saddle like a vise. At last the efforts 
of the Saracen broke the girths of Orlando's horse; 
the saddle slipped; the knight, firm in his stirrups, 
slipped with it, and came to the ground hardly con- 
scious of his fall. The noise of his armor in falling 
startled Mandricardo's horse, now without a bridle. 
He started off in full career, heeding neither trees 
8 



170 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

nor rocks nor broken ground. Urged by fright, he 
ran with furious speed, carrying bis master, who, 
almost distracted with rage, shouted and beat the ani- 
mal with his fists, and thereby impelled his flight. 
After running thus three miles or more, a deep ditch 
opposed their progress. The horse and rider fell head- 
long into it, and did not find the bottom covered with 
feather-beds or roses. They got sadly bruised ; but 
were lucky enough to escape without any broken limbs. 

Mandricardo, as soon as he gained his feet, seized 
the horse by his mane with fury, but, having no 
bridle, could not hold him. He looked round in 
hopes of finding something that would do for a rein. 
Just then fortune, who seemed willing to help him at 
last, brought that way a peasant with a bridle in his 
hand, who was in search of his farm horse that had 
strayed away. 

Orlando, having speedily repaired his horse's girths, 
remounted, and waited a good hour for the Saracen 
to return. Not seeing him, he concluded to go in 
search of him. He took an affectionate leave of Zer- 
bino and Isabella, who would willingly have followed 
him; but this the brave paladin would by no means 
permit. He held it unknightly to go in search of an 
enemy accompanied by a friend, who might act as a 
defender. Therefore, desiring them to say to Man- 



OKLANDO MAD. 171 

dricardo, if they should meet him, that his purpose 
was to tarry in the neighborhood three days, and then 
repair to the camp of Charlemagne, he took down 
Durindana from the tree, and proceeded in the direc- 
tion which the Saracen's horse had taken. But the 
animal, having no guide but its terror, had so doubled 
and confused its traces that Orlando, after two days 
spent in the search, gave up the attempt. 

It was about the middle of the third day when the 
paladin arrived on the pleasant bank of a stream 
which wound through a meadow enamelled with 
flowers. High trees, whose tops met and formed an 
arbor, overshadowed the fountain ; and the breeze 
which blew through their foliage tempered the heat. 
Hither the shepherds used to resort to quench their 
thirst, and to enjoy the shelter from the midday sun. 
The air, perfumed with the flowers, seemed to breathe 
fresh strength into their veins. Orlando felt the in- 
fluence, though covered with his armor. He stopped 
in this delicious arbor, where everythiug seemed to 
invite to repose. But he could not have chosen a 
more fatal asylum. He there spent the most miser- 
able moments of his life. 

He looked around, and noted with pleasure all the 
charms of the spot. He saw that some of the trees 
were carved with inscriptions, — he drew near, and 



172 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

read them, and what was his surprise to find that 
they composed the name of Angelica. Farther on, 
he found the name of Medoro mixed with hers. The 
paladin thought he dreamed. He stood like one 
amazed, — like a bird that, rising to fly, finds its feet 
caught in a net. 

Orlando followed the course of the stream, and 
came to one of its turns where the rocks of the moun- 
tain bent in such a way as to form a sort of grotto. 
The twisted stems of ivy and the wild vine draped 
the entrance of this recess, scooped by the hand of 
nature. 

The unhappy paladin, on entering the grotto, saw 
letters which appeared to have been lately carved. 
They were verses which Medoro had written in honor 
of his happy nuptials with the beautiful queen. Or- 
lando tried to persuade himself it must be some other 
Angelica whom those verses celebrated, and as for 
Medoro, he had never heard his name. The sun was 
now declining, and Orlando remounted his horse, and 
went on his way. He soon saw the roof of a cot- 
tage whence the smoke ascended; he heard the barking 
of dogs and the lowing of cattle, and arrived at a 
humble dwelling which seemed to offer an asylum for 
the night. The inmates, as soon as they saw him, 
hastened to render him service. One took his horse, 



ORLANDO MAD. 173 

another his shield and cuirass, another his golden 
spurs. This cottage was the very same where Medoro 
had been carried, deeply wounded, — where Angelica 
had tended him, and afterwards married him. The 
shepherd who lived in it loved to tell everybody the 
story of this marriage, and soon related it, with all its 
details, to the miserable Orlando. 

Having finished it, he went away, and returned with 
the precious bracelet which Angelica, grateful for his 
services, had given him as a memorial. It was th« 
one which Orlando had himself given her. 

•This last touch was the finishing stroke to the 
excited paladin. Frantic, exasperated, he exclaimed 
against the ungrateful and cruel princess who had dis- 
dained him, the most renowned, the most indomitable 
of all the paladins of France, — him, who had rescued 
her from the most alarming perils, — him, who had 
fought the most terrible battles for her sake, — she to 
prefer to him a young Saracen ! The pride of the 
noble Count was deeply wounded. Indignant, frantic, 
a victim to ungovernable rage, he rushed into the 
forest, uttering the most frightful shrieks. 

" No, no ! " cried he, " I am not the man they take 
me for ! Orlando is dead ! I am only the wander- 
ing ghost of that unhappy Count, who is now suffering 
the torments of hell I " 



174 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

Orlando wandered all night, as chance directed, 
through the wood, and at sunrise his destiny led 
him to the fountain where Medoro had engraved the 
fatal inscription. The frantic paladin saw it a second 
time with fury, drew his sword, and hacked it from 
the rock. 

Unlucky grotto ! you shall no more attract by your 
shade and coolness, you shall no more shelter with 
your arch either shepherd or flock. And you, fresh 
and pure fountain, you may not escape the rage of 
the furious Orlando ! He cast into the fountain 
branches, trunks of trees which he tore up, pieces of 
rocks which he broke off, plants uprooted, with the 
earth adhering, and turf and bushes, so as to choke 
the fountain, and destroy the purity of its waters. 
At length, exhausted by his violent exertions, bathed 
in sweat, breathless, Orlando sunk panting upon the 
earth, and lay there insensible three days and three 
nights. 

The fourth day he started up and seized his arms. 
His helmet, his buckler, he cast far from him ; his 
hauberk and his clothes he rent asunder; the frag- 
ments were scattered through the wood. In fine, he 
became a furious madman. His insanity was such 
that he cared not to retain even his sword. But he 
had no need of Durindana, nor of other arms, to do 



ORLANDO MAD. 175 

wonderful things. His prodigious strength sufficed. 
At the first wrench of his mighty arm, he tore up a 
pine-tree by the roots. Oaks, beeches, maples, what- 
ever he met in his path, yielded in like manner. 
The ancient forest soon became as bare as the borders 
of a morass, where the fowler has cleared away the 
bushes to spread his nets. The shepherds, hearing 
the horrible crashing in the forest, abandoned their 
flocks to run and see the cause of this unwonted up- 
roar. By their evil star, or for their sins, they were 
led thither. When they saw the furious state the 
Count was in, and his incredible force, they would 
fain have fled out of his reach, but in their fears lost 
their presence of mind. The madman pursued them, 
seized one and rent him limb from limb, as easily as 
one would pull ripe apples from a tree. He took 
another by the feet, and used him as a club to knock 
down a third. The shepherds fled; but it would have 
been hard for any to escape, if he had not at that 
moment left them to throw himself with the same 
fury upon their flocks. The peasants, abandoning 
their ploughs and harrows, mounted on the roofs of 
buildings and pinnacles of the rocks, afraid to trust 
themselves even to the oaks and pines. From such 
heights they looked on, trembling at the raging fury 
of the unhappy Orlando. His fists, his teeth, his nails, 



176 LEGENDS OF CHAKLEMAGNE. 

his feet, seize, break, and tear cattle, sheep, and swine; 
the most swift in flight alone being able to escape 
him. 

When at last terror had scattered everything before 
him, he entered a cottage which was abandoned by 
its inhabitants, and there found that which served for 
food. His long fast had caused him to feel the most 
ravenous hunger. Seizing whatever he found that 
was eatable, whether roots, acorns, or bread, raw meat 
or cooked, he gorged it indiscriminately. 

Issuing thence again, the frantic Orlando gave 
chase to whatever living thing he saw, whether men 
or animals. Sometimes he pursued the deer and hind, 
sometimes he attacked bears and wolves, and with his 
naked hands killed and tore them, and devoured their 
flesh. 

Thus he wandered, from place to place, through 
France, imperilling his life a thousand ways, yet 
always preserved by some mysterious providence from 
a fatal result. But here we leave Orlando for a time, 
that we may record what befell Zerbino and Isabella 
after their parting with him. 

The prince and his fair bride waited, by Orlando's 
request, near the scene of the battle for three days, 
that, if Mandricardo should return, they might inform 
him where Orlando would give him another meeting. 



OELANDO MAD. 177 

At the end of that time, their anxiety to know the 
issue led them to follow Orlando's traces, which led 
them at last to the wood where the trees were in- 
scribed with the names of Angelica and Medoro. 
They remarked how all these inscriptions were de- 
faced, and how the grotto was disordered, and the 

fountain cloaked w ith rubbish. But that which sur- 
as 

prised them and distressed them most of all was to 
find on the grass the cuirass of Orlando, and not far 
from it his helmet, the same which the renowned Al- 
montes once wore. 

Hearing a horse neigh in the forest, Zerbino turned 
his eyes in that direction, and saw Brigliadoro, with 
the bridle yet hanging at the saddle-bow. He looked 
round for Durindana, and found that famous sword, 
without the scabbard, lying on the grass. He saw 
also the fragments of Orlando's other arms and cloth- 
ing scattered on all sides over the plain. 

Zerbino and Isabella stood in astonishment and 
grief, not knowing what to think, but little imagining 
the true cause. If they had found any marks of blood 
on the arms or on the fragments of the clothing, they 
would have supposed him slain, but there were none. 
While they were in this painful uncertainty, they saw 
a young peasant approach. He, not yet recovered 
from the terror of the scene which he had witnessed 

8* L 



178 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

from the top of a rock, told them the whole of the 
sad events. 

Zerbino, with his eyes full of tears, carefully col- 
lected all the scattered arms. Isabella also dismounted 
to aid him in the sad duty. When they had collected 
all the pieces of that rich armor, they hung them like 
a trophy on a pine; and to prevent their being vio- 
lated by any passers-by, Zerbino inscribed on the bark 
this caution : " These are the arms of the Paladin 
Orlando." 

Having finished this pious work, he remounted his. 
home, and just then a knight rode up, and requested 
Zerbino to tell him the meaning of the trophy. The 
prince related the facts as they had happened ; and 
Mandricardo, for it was that Saracen knight, full of 
joy, rushed forward, and seized the sword, saying, " No 
one can censure me for what I do ; this sword is mine ; 
I can take my own wherever I find it. It is plain 
that Orlando, not daring to defend it against me, has 
counterfeited madness to excuse him in surrenderino; 

it." 

Zerbino vehemently exclaimed, " Touch not that 
sword. Think not to possess it without a contest. If 
it be true that the arms you wear are those of Hector, 
you must have got them by theft, and not by 
prowess." 



ORLANDO MAD. 179 

Immediately they attacked one another with the 
utmost fliry. The air resounded with thick-falling 
blows. Zerbino, skilful and alert, evaded for a time 
with good success the strokes of Durindana ; but at 
length a terrible blow struck him on the neck. He 
fell from his horse, and the Tartar king, possessed 
of the spoils of his victory, rode away. 




ZERBINO AND ISABELLA. 



ZERBINO'S pain at seeing the Tartar prince go 
off with the sword surpassed the anguish of 
his wound ; but now the loss of blood so reduced 
his strength, that he could not move from where he 
fell. Isabella, not knowing whither to resort for help, 
could only bemoan him, and chide her cruel fate. 
Zerbino said, " If I could but leave thee, my best be- 
loved, in some secure abode, it would not distress me 
to die ; but to abandon thee so, without protection, is 
sad indeed." She replied, " Think not to leave me, 
dearest; our souls shall not be parted; this sword will 
give me the means to follow thee." Zerbino's last 



ZEEBINO AND ISABELLA. 181 

words implored her to banish such a thought, but live, 
and be true to his memory. Isabella promised, with 
many tears, to be faithful to him so long as life should 
last. 

When he ceased to breathe, Isabella's cries resounded 
through the forest, and reached the ears of a reverend 
hermit, who hastened to the spot. He soothed and 
calmed her, urging those consolations which the word 
of God supplies ; and at last brought her to wish for 
nothing else but to devote herself for the rest of life 
wholly to religion. 

As she could not bear the thoughts of leaving her 
dead lord abandoned, the body was, by the good her- 
mit's aid, placed upon the horse, and taken to the 
nearest inhabited place, where a chest was made for 
it, suitable to be carried with them on their way. 
The hermit's plan was to escort his charge to a monas- 
tery, not many days' journey distant, where Isabella 
resolved to spend the remainder of her life. Thus 
they travelled day after day, choosing the most re- 
tired ways, for the country was full of armed men. 
One day a cavalier met them, and barred their way. 
It was no other than Rodomont, king of Algiers, who 
had just left the camp of Agramant, full of indigna- 
tion for a fancied wrong received from that leader. 
At sight of the lovely lady and her reverend attendant, 



182 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

with their horse laden with a burden draped with black, 
he asked the meaning of their journey. Isabella told 
him her affliction, and her resolution to renounce the 
world and devote herself to religion, and to the 
memory of the friend she had lost. Rodomont 
laughed scornfully at this, and told her that her pro- 
ject was absurd; that charms like hers were meant 
to be enjoyed, not buried, and that he himself would 
more than make amends for her dead lover. The 
monk, who promptly interposed to rebuke this impious 
talk, was commanded to hold his peace ; and still per- 
sisting, was seized by the knight and hurled over the 
edge of the cliff, where he fell into the sea, and was 
drowned. 

Rodomont, when he had got rid of the hermit, 
again applied to the sad lady, heartless with affright, 
and, in the language used by lovers, said, " she was his 
very heart, his life, his light." Having laid aside all 
violence, he humbly sued that she would accompany 
him to his retreat, near by. It was a ruined chapel 
from which the monks had been driven by the dis- 
orders of the time, and which Rodomont had taken 
possession of. Isabella, who had no choice but to 
obey, followed him, meditating as she went what re- 
source she could find to escape out of his power, and 
keep her vow to her dead husband, to be faithful to 



ZEKBINO AND ISABELLA. 183 

his memory as long as life should last. At length she 
said, " If, my lord, you will let me go and fulfil my 
vow, and my intention, as I have already declared it, 
I will bestow upon you what will be to you of more 
value than a hundred women's hearts. I know an 
herb, and I have seen it on our way, which, rightly 
prepared, affords a juice of such power, that the flesh, 
if laved with it, becomes impenetrable to sword or 
fire. This liquor I can make, and will, to-day, if you 
will accept my offer ; and when you have seen its vir- 
tue, you will value it more than if all Europe were 
made your own." 

Rodomont, at hearing this, readily promised all that 
was asked, so eager was he to learn a secret that 
would make him as Achilles was of yore. Isabella, 
having collected such herbs as she thought proper, and 
boiled them, with certain mysterious signs and words, 
at length declared her labor done, and, as a test, 
offered to try its virtue on herself. She bathed her 
neck and bosom with the liquor, and then called on 
Rodomont to smite with all his force, and see whether 
his sword had power to harm. The pagan, who 
during the preparations had taken frequent draughts 
of wine, and scarce knew what he did, drew his 
sword at the word, and struck across her neck with 
all his might, and the fair head leapt sundered from 
the snowy neck and breast. 



184 LEGENDS OF CHAKLEMAGNE. 

Rude and unfeeling as he was, the pagan knight 
lamented bitterly this sad result. To honor her mem- 
ory he resolved to do a work as unparalleled as her 
devotion. From all parts round he caused laborers to 
"be brought, and had a tower built to enclose the 
chapel, within which the remains of Zerbino and 
Isabella were entombed. Across the stream which 
flowed near by he built a bridge, scarce two yards 
wide, and added neither parapet nor rail. On the 
top of the tower a sentry was placed, who, when any 
traveller approached the bridge, gave notice to his 
master. Rodomont thereupon sallied out, and defied 
the approaching knight to fight him upon the bridge, 
where any chance step a little aside would plunge the 
rider headlong in the stream. This bridge he vowed 
to keep until a thousand suits of armor should be won 
from conquered knights, wherewith to build a trophy 
to his victim and her lord. 

Within ten days the bridge was built, and the tower 
was in progress. In a short time many knights, either 
seeking the shortest route, or tempted by a desire of 
adventure, had made the attempt to pass the bridge. 
All, without exception, had lost either arms or life, 
or both; some falling before Rodomont's lance, others 
precipitated into the river. One day, as Rodomont 
stood urging his workmen, it chanced that Orlando in 



ZERBINO AND ISABELLA. 185 

his fdrlous mood came thither, and approached the 
bridge. Rodomont halloed to him, " Halt, churl ; 
presume not to set foot upon that bridge ; it was not 
made for such as you ! " Orlando took no notice, 
but pressed on. Just then a gentle damsel rode up. 
It was Flordelis, who was seeking her Florismart. 
She saw Orlando, and, in spite of his strange appear- 
ance, recognized him. Rodomont, not used to have 
his commands disobeyed, laid hands on the madman, 
and would have thrown him into the river, but to 
his astonishment found himself in the gripe of one 
not so easily disposed of. " How can a fool have such 
strength ? " he growled between his teeth. Flordelis 
stopped to see the issue, where each of these two 
puissant warriors strove to throw the other from the 
bridge. Orlando at last had strength enough to lift 
his foe with all his armor, and fling him over the side, 
but had not wit to clear himself from him, so both 
fell together. High flashed the wave as they together 
smote its surface. Here Orlando had the advantage ; 
he was naked, and could swim like a fish. He soon 
reached the bank, and, careless of praise or blame, 
stopped not to see what came of the adventure. 
Rodomont, entangled with his armor, escaped with 
difficulty to the bank. Meantime, Flordelis passed the 
bridge unchallenged. 



186 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

After long wandering without success she returned 
to Paris, and there found the ohject of her search ; 
for Florismart, after the fall of Albracca, had repaired 
thither. The joy of meeting was clouded to Floris- 
mart by the news which Flordelis brought of Or- 
lando's wretched plight. The last she had seen of 
him was when he fell with Rodomont into the stream. 
Florismart, who loved Orlando like a brother, resolved 
to set out immediately, under guidance of the lady, 
to find him, and bring him where he might receive 
the treatment suited to his case. A few days brought 
them to the place where they found the Tartar king 
still guarding the bridge. The usual challenge and 
defiance was made, and the knights rode to encounter 
one another on the bridge. At the first encounter 
both horses were overthrown ; and, having no space 
to regain their footing, fell with their riders into the 
water. Rodomont, who knew the soundings of the 
stream, soon recovered {he land; but Florismart was 
carried downward by the current, and landed at last 
on a bank of mud where his horse could hardly find 
footing. Flordelis, who watched the battle from the 
bridge, seeing her lover in this piteous case, exclaimed 
aloud, " Ah ! Rodomont, for love of her whom dead 
you honor, have pity on me, who love this knight, 
and slay him not. Let it suffice he yields his armor 



ZEEBINO AND ISABELLA. 187 

to the pile, and none more glorious will it bear than 
his." Her prayer, so well directed, touched the 
pagan's heart, though hard to move, and he lent his 
aid to help the knight Jo land. He kept him a 
prisoner, however, and added his armor to the pile. 
Flordelis, with a heavy heart, went her way. 

T\ r e must now return to Rogero, who, when we 
parted with him, was engaged in an adventure which 
arrested his progress to the monastery whither he was 
bound with the intention of receiving baptism, and 
thus qualifying himself to demand Bradamante as his 
bride. On his way he met with Mandricardo, and 
the quarrel was revived respecting the right to wear 
the badge of Hector. After a warm discussion, both 
parties agreed to submit the question to King Agramant, 
and for that purpose took their way to the Saracen 
camp. Here they met Gradasso, who had his contro- 
versy also with Mandricardo. This warrior claimed the 
sword of Orlando, denying the right of Mandricardo 
to possess it in virtue of his having found it aban- 
doned by its owner. King Agramant strove in vain 
to reconcile these quarrels, and was forced at last to 
consent that the points in dispute should be settled by 
one combat, in which Mandricardo should meet one of 
the other champions, to whom should be committed the 
cause of both. Rogero was chosen by lot to maintain 



188 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

Gradasso's cause and his own. Great preparations were 
made for this signal contest. On the appointed day 
it was fought in the presence of Agramant, and of the 
whole army. Rogero won* it ; and Mandricardo, the 
conqueror of Hector's arms, the challenger of Orlando, 
and the slayer of Zerbino, lost his life. Gradasso 
received Durindana as his prize, which lost half its 
value in his eyes, since it was won by another's 
prowess, not his own. 

Rogero, though victorious, was severely wounded, 
and lay helpless many weeks in the camp of Agra- 
mant, while Bradamante, ignorant of the cause of his 
delay, expected him at Montalban. Thither he had 
promised to repair in fifteen days, or twenty at 
furthest, hoping to have obtained by that time an 
honorable discharge from his obligations to the Sara- 
cen commander. The twenty days were passed, and 
a month more, and still Rogero came not, nor did 
any tidings reach Bradamante accounting for his 
absence. At the end of that time, a wandering 
knight brought news of the famous combat, and of 
Rogero's wound. He added, what alarmed Brada- 
mante still more, that Marphisa, a female warrior, 
young and fair, was in attendance on the wounded 
knight. He added, that the whole army expected that, 
as soon as Rogero's wounds were healed, the pair 
would be united in marriage. 



ZERBINO AND ISABELLA. 189 

Bradamante, distressed by this news, though she 
believed it but in part, resolved to go immediately and 
see for herself. She mounted Rabican, the horse of 
Astolpho, which he had committed to her care, and 
took with her the lance of gold, though unaware ot 
its wonderful powers. Thus accoutred, she left the 
castle, and took the road toward Paris and the camp 
of the Saracens. 

Marphisa, whose devotion to Rogero in his illness 
had so excited the jealousy of Bradamante, was the 
twin sister of Rogero. She, with him, had been taken 
in charge when an infant by Atlantes, the magician, 
but while yet a child she had been stolen away by 
an Arab tribe. Adopted by their chief, she had early 
learned horsemanship and skill in arms, and at this 
time had come to the camp of Agramant with no 
other view than to see and test for herself the prowess 
of the warriors of either camp, whose fame rang 
through the world. Arriving at the very moment of 
the late encounter, the name of Rogero, and some 
few facts of his story which she learned, were enough 
to suggest the idea that it was her brother whom she 
saw victorious in the single combat. Inquiry satisfied 
the two of their near kindred, and from that moment 
Marphisa devoted herself to the care of her new-found 
and much-loved brother. 



190 LEGENDS OF CHAKLEMAGNE. 

In those moments of seclusion Rogero informed his 
sister of what he had learned of their parentage from 
old Atlantes. Rogero, their father, a Christian knight, 
had won the heart of Galaciella, daughter of the Sul- 
tan of Africa, and sister of King Agramant, con- 
verted her to the Christian faith, and secretly married 
her. The Sultan, enraged at his daughter's marriage, 
drove her husband into exile, and caused her with her 
infant children, Rogero and Marphisa, to be placed 
in a boat and committed to the winds and waves, 
to perish ; from which fate they were saved by At- 
lantes. On hearing this, Marphisa exclaimed, " How 
can you, brother, leave our parents unavenged so 
long, and even submit to serve the son of the tyrant 
who so wronged them ? " Rogero replied, that it was 
but lately he had learned the full truth ; that when 
he learned it he was already embarked with Agra- 
mant, from whom he had received knighthood, and 
that he only waited for a suitable opportunity when 
he might with honor desert his standard, and at the 
same time return to the faith of his fathers. Mar- 
phisa hailed this resolution with joy, and declared 
her intention to join with him in embracing the 
Christian faith. 



ZERBINO AND ISABELLA. 191 

We left Bradamante when, mounted on Rabican 
and armed with Astolpho's lance, she rode forth, de- 
termined to learn the cause of Rogero's long absence. 
One day, as she rode, she met a damsel, of visage 
and of manners fair, but overcome with grief. It was 
Flordelis, who was seeking far and near a champion 
capable of liberating and avenging her lord. Flordelis 
marked the approaching warrior, and, judging from 
appearances, thought she had found the champion she 
sought. " Are you, Sir Knight," she said, " so daring 
and so kind as to take up my cause against a fierce 
and cruel warrior who has made prisoner of my lord, 
and forced me thus to be a wanderer and a suppli- 
ant ? " Then she related the events which had hap- 
pened at the bridge. Bradamante, to whom noble 
enterprises were always welcome, readily embraced 
this, and the rather as in her gloomy forebodings she 
felt as if Roger o was forever lost to her. 

Next day the two arrived at the bridge. The 
sentry descried them approaching, and gave notice to 
his lord, who thereupon donned his armor and went 
forth to meet them. Here, as usual, he called on the 
advancing warrior to yield his horse and arms an 
oblation to the tomb. Bradamante replied, asking by 
what right he called on the innocent to do penance 
for his crime. " Your life and your armor," she 



192 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

added, "are the fittest offering to her tomb, and I, a 
woman, the fittest champion to take them." With 
that she couched her spear, spurred her horse, and 
ran to the encounter. King Rodomont came on with 
speed. The trampling sounded on the bridge like 
thunder. It took but a moment to decide the contest. 
The golden lance did its office, and that fierce Moor, 
so renowned in tourney, lay extended on the bridge. 
" Who is the loser now ? " said Bradamante : but 
Rodomont, amazed that a woman's hand should have 
laid him low, could not or would not answer. Silent 
and sad, he raised himself, unbound his helm and mail, 
and flung them against the tomb ; then, sullen and on 
foot, left the ground ; but first gave orders to one of 
his squires to release all his prisoners. They had been 
sent off to Africa. Besides Florismart, there were 
Sansonnet and Oliver, who had ridden that way in 
quest of Orlando, and had both in turn been over- 
thrown in the encounter. 

Bradamante after her victory resumed her route, 
and in due time reached the Christian camp, where 
she readily learned an explanation of the mystery 
which had caused her so much anxiety. Rogero and 
his fair and brave sister, Marphisa, were too illustri- 
ous by their station and exploits not to be the fre- 
quent topic of discourse even among their adversaries, 



ZERBINO AND ISABELLA. 193 

and all that Bradamante was anxious to know reached 
her ear, almost without inquiry. 

We now return to Gradasso, who by Rogero's 
victory had been made possessor of Durindana. There 
now only remained to him to seek the horse of 
Binaldo ; and the challenge, given and accepted, was 
yet to be fought with that warrior, for it had been 
interrupted by the arts of Malagigi. Gradasso now 
sought another meeting with Rinaldo, and met with 
no reluctance on his part. As the combat was for 
the possession of Bayard, the knights dismounted and 
fought on foot. Long time the battle lasted. Rinaldo, 
knowing well the deadly stroke of Durindana, used 
all his art to parry or avoid its blow. Gradasso 
struck with might and main, but wellnigh all his 
strokes were spent in air, or if they £mote, they fell 
obliquely and did little harm. 

Thus had they fought long, glancing at one an- 
other's eyes, and seeing naught else, when their 
attention was arrested perforce by a strange noise. 
They turned, and beheld the good Bayard attacked 
by a monstrous bird. Perhaps it was a bird, for 
such it seemed ; but when or where such a bird 
was ever seen I have nowhere read, except in 
Turpin ; and I am inclined to believe that it was 
not a bird, but a fiend, evoked from underground 



194 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

by Malagigi, and thither sent on purpose to interrupt 
the fight. Whether a fiend or a fowl, the monster 
flew right at Bayard, and clapped his wings in his 
face. Thereat the steed broke loose, and ran madly 
across the plain, pursued by the bird, till Bayard 
plunged into the wood, and was lost to sight. 

Binaldo and Gradasso, seeing Bayard's escape, 
agreed to suspend their battle till they could re- 
cover the horse, the object of contention. Gradasso 
mounted his steed, and followed the foot-marks of 
Bayard into the forest. Binaldo, never more vexed 
in spirit, remained at the spot, Gradasso having 
promised to return thither with the horse, if he found 
him. He did find him, after long search, for he had 
the good fortune to hear him neigh. Thus he be- 
came possessed "of both the objects for which he had 
led an army from his own country, and invaded 
France. He did not forget his promise to bring 
Bayard back to the place where he had left Bi- 
naldo ; but, only muttering, " Now I have got him, 
he little knows me who expects me to give him up ; 
if Binaldo wants the horse, let him seek him in 
India, as I have sought him in France," — he made 
the best of his way to Aries, where his vessels lay ; 
and in possession of the two objects of his ambition, 
the horse and the sword, sailed away to his own 
country. 




ASTOLPHO IN ABYSSINIA. 



WHEN we last parted with the adventurous 
paladin Astolpho, he was just commencing 
that flight over the countries of the world from which 
he promised himself so much gratification. Our read- 
ers are aware that the eagle and the falcon have not 
so swift a flight as the Hippogriff on which Astolpho 
rode. It was not long, therefore, before the paladin, 
directing his course toward the southeast, arrived over 
that part of Africa where the great river Nile has its 
source. Here he alighted, and found himself in the 
neighborhood of the capital of Abyssinia, ruled by 
Senapus, whose riches and power were immense. His 



196 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

palace was of surpassing splendor ; the bars of the 
gates, the hinges and locks, were all of pure gold ; in 
fact this metal, in that country, is put to ail those uses 
for which we employ iron. It is so common that they 
prefer for ornamental purposes rock crystal, of which 
all the columns were made. Precious stones of differ- 
ent kinds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and topazes were 
set in ornamental designs, and the walls and ceilings 
were adorned with pearls. 

It is in this country those famous balms grow of 
which there are some few plants in that part of Ju- 
dsea called Gilead. Musk, ambergris, and numerous 
gums, so precious in Europe, are here in their native 
climate. It is said the Sultan of Egypt pays a vast 
tribute to the monarch of this country to hire him 
not to cut off the source of the Nile, which he might 
easily do, and cause the river to flow in some other 
direction, thus depriving Egypt of the source of its 
fertility. 

At the time of Astolpho's arrival in his dominions, 
this monarch was in great affliction. In spite of his 
riches and the precious productions of his country, he 
was in danger of dying of hunger. He was a prey 
to a flock of obscene birds called Harpies, which 
attacked him whenever he sat at meat, and with their 
claws snatched, tore, and scattered everything, over- 



ASTOLPHO IN ABYSSINIA. 197 

turning the vessels, devouring the food, and infecting 
what they left with their filthy touch. It was said 
this punishment was inflicted upon the king because 
when young, and filled with pride and presumption, 
he had attempted to invade with an army the terres- 
trial paradise, which is situated on the top of a moun- 
tain whence the Nile draws its source. Nor was this 
his only punishment. He was struck blind. 

Astolpho, on arriving in the dominions of this 
monarch, hastened to pay him his respects. King 
Senapus received him graciously, and ordered a splen- 
did repast to be prepared in honor of his arrival. 
While the guests were seated at table, Astolpho filling 
the place of dignity at the king's right hand, the 
horrid scream of the Harpies was heard in the air, 
and soon they approached, hovering over** the tables, 
seizing the food from the dishes, and overturning 
everything with the flapping of their broad wings. In 
vain the guests struck at them with knives and any 
weapons which they had, and Astolpho drew his 
sword and gave them repeated blows, which seemed 
to have no more effect upon them than if their bodies 
had been made of tow. 

At last Astolpho thought of his horn. He first 
gave warning to the king and his guests to stop their 
ears; then blew a blast. The Harpies, terrified at the 



198 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

sound, flew away as fast as their wings could carry 
them. The paladin mounted his HippogrifF, and pur- 
sued them, blowing his horn as often as he came near 
them. They stretched their flight towards the great 
mountain, at the foot of which there is a cavern, 
which is thought to be the mouth of the infernal 
abodes. Hither those horrid birds flew, as if to their 
home. Having seen them all disappear in the recess, 
Astolpho cared not to pursue them farther, but, 
alighting, rolled huge stones into the mouth of the 
cave, and piled branches of trees therein, so that he 
effectually barred their passage out, and we have no 
evidence of their ever having been seen since hi the 
outer air. 

After this labor, Astolpho refreshed himself by bath- 
ing in a fountain whose pure waters bubbled from a 
cleft of the rock. Having rested awhile, an earnest 
desire seized him of ascending the mountain which 
towered above him. The HippogrifF bore him swiftly 
upwards, and landed him on the top of the mountain, 
which he found to be an extensive plain. 

A splendid palace rose in the middle of this plain, 
whose walls shone with such brilliancy that mortal 
eyes could hardly bear the sight. Astolpho guided the 
winced horse towards this edifice, and made him poise 
himself in the air while he took a leisurely survey of 



ASTOLPHO IN ABYSSINIA. 199 

this favored spot and its environs. It seemed as if 
nature and art had striven with one another to see 
which could do the most for its embellishment. 

Astolpho, on approaching the edifice, saw a venera- 
ble man advance to meet him. This personage was 
clothed in a long vesture as white as snow, while a 
mantle of purple covered his shoulders, and hung 
down to the ground. A white beard descended to his 
middle, and his hair, of the same color, overshadowed 
his shoulders. His eyes were so brilliant, that Astol- 
pho felt persuaded that he was a blessed inhabitant of 
the heavenly mansions. 

The sage, smiling benignantly upon the paladin, who 
from respect had dismounted from his horse, said to 
him: "Noble chevalier, know that it is by the Divine 
will you have been brought to the terrestrial paradise. 
Your mortal nature could not have borne to scale 
these heights and reach these seats of bliss if it were 
not the will of Heaven that you should be instructed 
in the means to succor Charles, and to sustain the 
glory of our holy faith. I am prepared to impart the 
needed counsels ; but before I begin, let me welcome 
you to our sojourn. I doubt not your long fast and 
distant journey have given you a good appetite." 

The aspect of the venerable man filfed the prince 
with admiration; but his surprise ceased when he 



200 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

learned from him that he was that one of the Apostles 
of our Lord to whom he said, " I will that thou tarry 
till I come." 

St. John, conducting Astolpho, rejoined his com- 
panions. These were the patriarch Enoch and the 
prophet Elijah; neither of whom had yet seen his 
dying day, but, taken from our lower world, were 
dwelling in a region of peace and joy, in a climate of 
eternal spring, till the last trumpet shall sound. 

The three holy inhabitants of the terrestrial paradise 
received Astolpho with the greatest kindness, carried 
him to a pleasant apartment, and took great care of 
the HippogrifF, to whom they gave such food as 
suited him, while to the prince they presented fruits 
so delicious that he felt inclined to excuse our first 
parents for their sin in eating them without per- 
mission. 

Astolpho, having recruited his strength, not only 
by these excellent fruits, but also by sweet sleep, 
roused himself at the first blush of dawn, and, as 
soon as he left his chamber, met the beloved Apostle 
coming to seek him. St. John took him by the hand, 
and told him many things relating to the past and 
the future. Among others, he said, " Son, let me 
tell you whab is now going on in France. Orlando, 
the illustrious prince who received at his birth the 



A.STOLPHO IN ABYSSINIA. 201 

endowment of strength and courage more than mortal, 
raised up as was Samson of old to be the champion 
of the true faith, has been guilty of the basest ingrati- 
tude in leaving the Christian camp when it most 
needed the support of his arm, to run after a Saracen 
princess, whom he would fain marry, though she 
scorns him. To punish him, his reason has been taken 
away, so that he runs naked through the land, over 
mountains and through valleys, without a ray of in- 
telligence. The duration of his punishment has been 
fixed at three months, and that time having nearly 
expired, you have been brought hither to learn from 
us the means by which the reason of Orlando may be 
restored. True, you will be obliged to make a 
journey with me, and we must even leave the earth, 
and ascend to the moon, for it is in that planet we 
are to seek the remedy for the madness of the paladin. 
I propose to make our journey this evening, as soon as 
the moon appears over our head." 

As soon as the sun sunk beneath the seas, and the 
moon presented its luminous disk, the holy man had 
the chariot brought out in which he was accustomed 
to make excursions among the stars, the same which 
was employed long ago to convey Elijah up from 
earth. The saint made Astolpho seat himself beside 
him, took the reins, and giving the word to the 

9* 



202 LEGENDS OF CHAELEMAGNE. 

coursers, they bore them upward with astonishing 
celerity. 

At length they reached the great continent of the 
Moon. Its surface appeared to be of polished steel, 
with here and there a spot which, like rust, obscured 
its brightness. The paladin was astonished to see that 
the earth, with all its seas and rivers, seemed but an 
insignificant spot in the distance. 

The prince discovered in this region so new to him 
rivers, lakes, plains, hills, and valleys. Many beauti- 
ful cities and castles enriched the landscape. He saw 
also vast forests, and heard in them the sound of horns 
and the barking of dogs, which led him to conclude 
that the nymphs were following the chase. 

The knight, filled with wonder at all he saw, was 
conducted by the saint to a valley, where he stood 
amazed at the riches strewed all around him. "Well 
he might be so, for that valley was the receptacle of 
things lost on earth, either by men's fault, or by the 
effect of time and chance. Let no one suppose we 
speak here of kingdoms or of treasures ; they are the 
toys of Fortune, which she dispenses in turning her 
wheel ; we speak of things which she can neither give 
nor take away. Such are reputations, which appear 
at one time so brilliant, and a short time after are 
heard of no more. Here, also, are countless vows and 



ASTOLPHO IN ABYSSINIA. 203 

prayers for unattainable objects, lovers' sighs and tears, 
time spent in gaming, dressing, and doing nothing, the 
leisure of the dull and the intentions of the lazy, 
baseless projects, intrigues and plots ; these and such 
like things fill all the valley. 

Astolpho had a great desire to understand all that 
he saw, and which appeared to him so extraordinary. 
Among the rest, he observed a great mountain of 
blown bladders, from which issued indistinct noises. 
The saint told him these were the dynasties of Assy- 
rian and Persian kings, once the wonder of the earth, 
of which now scarce the name remains. 

Astolpho could not help laughing when the saint 
said to him, " All these hooks of silver and gold that 
you see are the gifts of courtiers to princes, made in 
the hope of getting something better in return." He 
also showed him garlands of flowers in which snares 
were concealed ; these were flatteries and adulations, 
meant to deceive. But nothing was so comical as the 
sight of numerous grasshoppers which had burst their 
lungs with chirping. These, he told him, were son- 
nets, odes, and dedications, addressed by venal poets to 
great people. 

The paladin beheld with wonder what seemed a lake 
of spilled milk. " It is," said the saint, " the charity 
done by frightened misers on their death-beds." It 



204 LEGENDS OF CHAKLEMAGNE. 

would take too long to tell all that the valley con- 
tained: meannesses, affectations, pretended virtues, and 
concealed vices were there in abundance. 

Among the rest, Astolpho perceived many days of 
his own lost, and many imprudent sallies which he had 
made, and would have been glad not to have been 
reminded of. But he also saw among so many lost 
things a great abundance of one thing which men are 
apt to think they all possess, and do not think it neces- 
sary to pray for, — good sense. This commodity ap- 
peared under the form of a liquor, most light and apt 
to evaporate. It was therefore kept in vials, firmly 
sealed. One of these was labelled, " The sense of the 
Paladin Orlando." 

All the bottles were ticketed, and the sage placed 
one in Astolpho's hand, which he found was his own. 
It was more than half full. He was surprised to find 
there many other vials which contained almost the 
whole of the wits of many persons who passed among 
men for wise. Ah, how easy it is to lose one's reason! 
Some lose theirs by yielding to the sway of the pas- 
sions ; some, in braving tempests and shoals in search 
of wealth ; some, by trusting too much to the promises 
of the great ; some, by setting their hearts on trifles. 
As might have been expected, the bottles which held 
the wits of astrologers, inventors, metaphysicians, and 



ASTOLPHO IN ABYSSINIA. 205 

above all, of poets, were in general the best filled 
of all. 

Astolpbo took his bottle, put it to his nose, and in- 
haled it all; and Turpin assures us that he was for 
a long time afterwards as sage as one could wish ; 
but the Archbishop adds, that there was reason to fear 
that some of the precious fluid afterwards found its 
way back into the bottle. The paladin took also the 
bottle which belonged to Orlando. It was a large 
one, and quite full. 

Before quitting the planetary region, Astolpho was 
conducted to an edifice on the borders of a river. He 
was shown an immense hall full of bundles of silk, 
linen, cotton, and wool. A thousand different colors, 
brilliant or dull, some quite black, were among these 
skeins. In one part of the hall an old woman was 
busy winding off yarns from all these different bundles. 
When she had finished a skein, another ancient dame 
took it and placed it with others ; a third selected from 
the fleeces spun, and mingled them in due proportions. 
The paladin inquired what all this might be. " These 
old women," said the saint, " are the Fates, who spin, 
measure, and terminate the lives of mortals. As long 
as the thread stretches in one of those skeins, so long 
does the mortal enjoy the light of day; but nature 
and death are on the alert to shut the eyes of those 
whose thread is spun. 



206 LEGENDS OF CHAELEMAGNE. 

Each one of the skeins had a label of gold, silver, 
or iron, bearing the name of the individual to whom 
it belonged. An old man, who, in spite of the burden 
of years, seemed brisk and active, ran without ceasing 
to fill his apron with these labels, and carried them 
away to throw them into the river, whose name was 
Lethe. When he reached the shore of the river, the 
old man shook out his apron, and the labels sunk to 
the bottom. A small number only floated for a time, 
hardly one in a thousand. Numberless birds, hawks, 
crows, and vultures hovered over the stream, with 
clamorous cries, and strove to snatch from the water 
some of these names ; but they were too heavy for 
them, and after a while the birds were forced to let 
them drop into the river of oblivion. But two beauti- 
ful swans, of snowy whiteness, gathered some few of 
the names, and returned with them to the shore, 
where a lovely nymph received them from their 
beaks, and carried them to a temple placed upon a 
hill, and suspended them for all time upon a sacred 
column, on which stood the statue of Immortality. 

Astolpho was amazed at all this, and asked his 
guide to explain it. He replied, " The old man is 
Time. All the names upon the tickets would be im- 
mortal if the old man did not plunge them into the 
river of oblivion. Those clamorous birds which make 



ASTOLPHO IN ABYSSINIA. 2C 7 

vain efforts to save certain of the names are flatterers, 
pensioners, venal rhymesters, who do their best to 
rescue from oblivion the unworthy names of their 
patrons ; but all in vain ; they may keep them from 
their fate a little while, but erelong the river of 
oblivion must swallow them all. 

" The swans, that with harmonious strains carry 
certain names to the temple of Eternal Memory, are 
the great poets, who save from oblivion worse than 
death the names of those they judge worthy of im- 
mortality. Swans of this kind are rare. Let monarchs 
know the true breed, and fail not to nourish with 
care such as may chance to appear in their time." 




THE WAR IN AFRICA. 



WHEN Astolpho had descended to the earth 
with the precious phial, St. John showed 
him a plant of marvellous virtues, with which he 
told him he had only to touch the eyes of the king 
of Abyssinia to restore him to sight. " That impor- 
tant service," said the saint, " added to your having 
delivered him from the Harpies, will induce him to 
give you an army wherewith to attack the Africans 
in their rear, and force them to return from France 
to defend their own country." The saint also i*i 
structed him how to lead his troops in safety across 
the great deserts, where caravans are often over- 



THE WAR IN AFEICA. 209 

whelmed with moving columns of sand. Astolpho, 
fortified with ample instructions, remounted the Hip- 
pogriff, thanked the saint, received his blessing, and 
took his flight down to the level country. 

Keeping the course of the river Nile, he soon 
arrived at the capital of Abyssinia, and rejoined 
Senapus. The joy of the king was great when he 
heard ao;ain the voice of the hero who had delivered 
him from the Harpies. Astolpho touched his eyes 
with the plant which he had brought from the ter- 
restrial paradise, and restored their sight. The king's 
gratitude was unbounded. He begged him to name 
a reward, promising to grant it, whatever it might 
be. Astolpho asked an army to go to the assistance 
of Charlemagne, and the king not only granted him 
a hundred thousand men, but offered to lead them 
himself. 

The night before the day appointed for the de- 
parture of the troops, Astolpho mounted his winged 
horse, and directed his flight towards a mountain, 
whence the fierce South-wind issues, whose blast 
raises the sands of the Nubian desert, and whirls 
them onward in overwhelming clouds. The paladin, 
by the advice of St. John, had prepared himself with 
a leather bag, which he placed adroitly, with its 
mouth open, over the vent whence issues this terri- 



210 LEGENDS OF CHAKLEMAGNE. 

ble wind. At the first dawn of morning the wind 
rushed from its cavern to resume its daily course, 
and was caught in the bag, and securely tied up. 
Astolpho, delighted with his prize, returned to his 
army, placed himself at their head, and commenced 
his march. The Abyssinians traversed without danger 
or difficulty those vast fields of sand which separate 
their country from the kingdoms of Northern Africa, 
for the terrible South-wind, taken completely captive, 
had not force enough left to blow out a candle. 

Senapus was distressed that he could not furnish 
any cavalry, for his country, rich in camels and ele- 
phants, was destitute of horses. This difficulty the 
saint had foreseen, and had taught Astolpho the 
means of remedying. He now put those means in 
operation. Having reached a place whence he beheld 
a vast plain and the sea, he chose from his troops 
those who appeared to be the best made and the 
most intelligent. These he caused to be arranged in 
squadrons at the foot of a lofty mountain which 
bordered the plain, and he himself mounted to the 
summit to carry into effect his great design. Here he 
found vast quantities of fragments of rock and pebbles. 
These he set rolling down the mountain's side, and, 
wonderful to relate, as they rolled they grew in size, 
made themselves bodies, legs, necks, and long faces. 



THE WAS IN AFKICA. 211 

Next they began to neigh, to curvet, to scamper on 
all sides over the plain. Some were bay, some roan, 
some dapple, some chestnut. The troops at the foot 
of the mountain exerted themselves to catch these 
new-created horses, which they easily did, for the 
miracle had been so considerate as to provide all the 
horses with bridles and saddles. Astolpho thus sud- 
denly found himself supplied with an excellent corps 
of cavalry, not fewer (as Archbishop Turpin asserts) 
than eighty thousand strong. With these troops As- 
tolpho reduced all the country to subjection, and at 
last arrived before the walls of Agramant's capital 
city, Biserta, to which he laid siege. 

We must now return to the camp of the Chris- 
tians, which lay before Aries, to which city the Sara- 
cens had retired after being defeated in a night attack 
led on by Rinaldo. Agramant here received the 
tidings of the invasion of his country by a fresh 
enemy, the Abyssinians, and learned that Biserta was 
in danger of falling into their hands. He took coun- 
sel of his officers, and decided to send an embassy to 
Charles, proposing that the whole quarrel should be 
submitted to the combat of two warriors, one from 
each side, according to the issue of which it should 
be decided which party should pay tribute to the 
other, and the war should cease. Charlemagne, who 



212 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

had not heard of the favorable turn which affairs had 
taken in Africa, readily agreed to this proposal, and 
Rinaldo was selected on the part of the Christians to 
sustain the combat. 

The Saracens selected Rogero for their champion. 
Rogero was still in the Saracen camp, kept there by 
honor alone, for his mind had been opened to the 
truth of the Christian faith by the arguments of 
Bradamante, and he had resolved to leave the party 
of the infidels on the first favorable opportunity, and 
to join the Christian side. But his honor forbade him 
to do this while his former friends were in distress ; 
and thus he waited for what time might bring forth, 
when he was startled by the announcement that he 
had been selected to uphold the cause of the Saracens 
against the Christians, and that his foe was to be Ri- 
naldo, the brother of Bradamante. 

While Rogero was overwhelmed with this intelli- 
gence, Bradamante on her side felt the deepest dis- 
tress at hearing of the proposed combat. If Rogero 
should fall, she felt that no other man living was 
worthy of her love; and if, on the other hand, 
Heaven should resolve to punish France by the death 
of her chosen champion, Bradamante would have to 
deplore her brother, so dear to her, and be no less 
completely severed from the object of her affections. 



THE WAE IN AFEICA. 213 

While the fair lady gave herself up to these sad 
thoughts, the sage enchantress, Melissa, suddenly ap- 
peared before her. " Fear not, my daughter," said 
she, "I shall find a way to interrupt this combat 
which so distresses you." 

Meanwhile Rinaldo and Rogero prepared their 
weapons for the conflict. Rinaldo had the choice, 
and decided that it should be on foot, and with no 
weapons but the battle-axe and poniard. The place 
assigned was a plain between the camp of Charle- 
magne and the walls of Aries. 

Hardly had the dawn announced the day appointed 
for this memorable combat, when heralds proceeded 
from both sides to mark the lists. Erelong the Afri- 
can troops were seen to advance from the city, 
Agramant at their head ; his brilliant arms adorned 
in the Moorish fashion, his horse a bay, with a white 
star on his forehead. Rogero marched at his side, and 
some of the greatest warriors of the Saracen camp 
attended him, bearing the various parts of his armor 
and weapons. Charlemagne, on his part, proceeded ' 
from his intrenchments, ranged his troops in semi- 
circle, and stood surrounded by his peers and paladins. 
Some of them bore portions of the armor of Rinaldo, 
the celebrated Ogier, the Dane, bearing the helmet 
which Rinaldo took from Mambrino. Duke Namo 



214 LEGENDS OF CHAELEMAGNE. 

of Bavaria and Salomon of Bretagne bore two axes, 
of equal weight, prepared for the occasion. 

The terms of the combat were then sworn to with 
the utmost solemnity by all parties. It was agreed 
that, if from either part any attempt was made to in- 
terrupt the battle, both combatants should turn their 
arms against the party which should be guilty of the 
interruption ; and both monarchs assented to the con- 
dition, that in such case the champion of the offending 
party should be discharged from his allegiance, and 
at liberty to transfer his arms to the other side. 

When all the preparations were concluded, the 
monarchs and their attendants retired each to his own 
side, and the champions were left alone. The two 
warriors advanced with measured steps towards each 
other, and met in the middle of the space. They 
attacked one another at the same moment, and the 
air resounded with the blows they gave. Sparks flew 
from their battle-axes, while the velocity with which 
they managed their weapons astonished the beholders. 
Rogero, always remembering that his antagonist was 
the brother of his betrothed, could not aim a deadly 
wound; he strove only to ward off those levelled 
against himself. Rinaldo, on the other hand, much 
as he esteemed Rogero, spared not his blows, for he 
eagerly desired victory for his own sake, and for the 
sake of his country and his faith. 



THE WAR IN AFRICA. 215 

The Saracens soon perceived that their champion 
fought feebly, and gave not to Rinaldo such blows 
as he received from him. His disadvantage was so 
marked, that anxiety and shame were manifest on 
the countenance of Agramant. Melissa, one of the 
most acute enchantresses that ever lived, seized this 
moment to disguise herself under the form of Rodo- 
mont, that rude and impetuous warrior, who had now 
for some time been absent from the Saracen camp. 
Approaching Agramant, she said, " How could you, 
my lord, have the imprudence of selecting a young 
man without experience to oppose the most redoubta- 
ble warrior of France ? Surely you must have been 
regardless of the honor of your arms, and of the fate 
of your empire ! But it is not too late. Break with- 
out delay the agreement which is sure to result in 
your ruin." So saying, she addressed the troops who 
stood near. " Friends,'' said she, " follow me ; under 
my guidance every one of you will be a match for a 
score of those feeble Christians." Agramant, delighted 
at seing Rodomont once more at his side, gave his 
consent, and the Saracens, at the instant, couched 
their lances, set spurs to their steeds, and swept down 
upon the French. Melissa, when she saw her work 
successful, disappeared. 

Rinaldo and Rogero, seeing the truce broken, and 



216 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

the two armies engaged in general conflict, stopped 
their battle ; their martial fury ceased at once, they 
joined hands, and resolved to act no more on either 
side until it should be clearly ascertained which party 
had failed to observe its oath. Both renewed their 
promise to abandon forever the party which had been 
thus false and perjured. 

Meanwhile, the Christians, after the first moment 
of surprise, met the Saracens with courage redoubled 
by rage at the treachery of their foes. Guido the 
Wild, brother and rival of Rinaldo, Griffon and Aqui- 
lant, sons of Oliver, and numerous others whose 
names have already been celebrated in our recitals, 
beat back the assailants, and at last, after prodigious 
slaughter, forced them to take shelter within the walls 
of Aries. 

We will now return to Orlando, whom we last 
heard of as furiously mad, and doing a thousand acts 
of violence in his senseless rage. One day he came 
to the borders of a stream which intercepted his 
course. He swam across it, for he could swim like 
an otter, and on the other side saw a peasant watering 
his horse. He seized the animal, in spite of the re- 
sistance of the peasant, and rode it with furious speed 
till he arrived at the sea-coast, where Spain is divided 
from Africa by only a narrow strait. At the moment 



THE WAE IN AFEICA. 217 

of his arrival, a vessel had just put off to cross the 
strait. She was full of people who, with glass in 
hand, seemed to be taking a merry farewell of the* 
land, wafted by a favorable breeze. 

The frantic Orlando cried out to them to stop and 
take him in ; but they, having no desire to admit a 
madman to their company, paid him no attention. 
The paladin thought this behavior very uncivil ; and 
by force of blows made his horse carry him into the 
water in pursuit of the ship. The wretched animal 
soon had only his head above water; but as Orlando 
urged him forward, nothing was left for the poor 
beast but either to die or swim over to Africa. 

Already Orlando had lost sight of the bark ; dis- 
tance and the swell of the sea completely hid it from 
his sight. He continued t& press his horse forward, 
till at last it could struggle no more, and sunk be- 
neath him. Orlando, nowise concerned, stretched out 
his nervous arms, puffing the salt water from before 
his mouth, and carried his head above the waves. 
Fortunately they were not rough, scarce a breath of 
wind agitated the surface ; otherwise, the invinci- 
ble Orlando would then have met his death. But 
fortune, which it is said favors fools, delivered him 
from this danger, and landed him safe on the shore 
of Ceuta. Here he rambled along the shore till he 

10 



218 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

came to where the black army of Astolpho held its 
camp. 

Now it happened, just before this time, that a vessel 
filled with prisoners which Rodomont had taken at 
the bridge had arrived, and, not knowing of the 
presence of the Abyssinian army, had sailed right 
into port, where of course the prisoners and their 
captors changed places, the former being set at liberty 
and received with all joy, the latter sent to serve in 
the galleys. Astolpho thus found himself surrounded 
with Christian knights, and he and his friends were 
exchanging greetings and felicitations, when a noise 
was heard in the camp, and seemed to increase every 
moment. 

Astolpho and his Mends seized their weapons, 
mounted their horses, and : rode to the quarter whence 
the noise proceeded. Imagine their astonishment when 
they saw that the tumult was caused by a single man, 
perfectly naked, and browned with dirt and exposure, 
but of a force and fury so terrible that he overturned 
all that offered to lay hands on him. 

Astolpho, Dudon, Oliver, and Florismart gazed at 
him with amazement. It was with difficulty they 
knew him. Astolpho, who had been warned of his 
condition by his holy monitor, was the first to recog- 
nize him. As the paladins closed round Orlando, 



THE WAR IN AFRICA. 219 

the madman dealt one and another a blow of his fist, 
which, if they had not been in armor, or he had had 
any weapon, would probably have despatched them ; 
as it was, Dudon and Astolpho measured their length 
on the sand. But Florismart seized him from behind, 
Sansonnet and another grasped his legs, and at last 
they succeeded in securing him with ropes. They 
took him to the water-side and washed him well, and 
then Astolpho, having first bandaged his mouth so 
that he could not breathe except through his nose, 
brought the precious phial, uncorked it, and placed it 
adroitly under his nostrils, when the good Orlando 
took it all up in one breath. O marvellous prodigy ! 
The paladin recovered in an instant all his intelli- 
gence. He felt like one who had awaked from a pain- 
ful dream, in which he had believed that monsters 
were about to tear him to pieces. He seemed pros- 
trated, silent, and abashed. Florismart, Oliver, and As- 
tolpho stood gazing upon him, while he turned his eyes 
around and on himself. He seemed surprised to find 
himself naked, bound, and stretched on the sea-shore. 
After a few moments he recognized his friends, and 
spoke to them in a tone so tender that they hastened 
to unbind him, and to supply him with garments. 
Then they exerted themselves to console him, to di- 
minish the weight with which his spirits were op- 



220 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

pressed, and to make him forget the wretched con- 
dition into which he had been sunk. 

Orlando, in recovering his reason, found himself also 
delivered from his insane attachment to the queen of 
Cathay. His heart felt now no further influenced by 
the recollection of her than to be moved with an 
ardent desire to retrieve his fame by some distin- 
guished exploit. Astolpho would gladly have yielded 
to him the chief command of the army, but Or- 
lando would not take from the friend to whom he 
owed so much the glory of the campaign ; but in 
everything the two paladins acted in concert, and 
united their counsels. They proposed to make a 
general assault on the city of Biserta, and were only 
waiting a favorable moment, when their plan was in- 
terrupted by new events. 

Agramant, after the bloody battle which followed 
the infraction of the truce,* found himself so weak that 
he saw it was in vain to attempt to remain in France. 
So, in concert with Sobrino, the bravest and most 
trusted of his chiefs, he embarked to return to his 
own country, having previously sent off his few re- 
maining troops in the same direction. The vessel 
which carried Agramant and Sobrino approached the 
shore where the army of Astolpho lay encamped be- 
fore Biserta, and, having discovered this fact before 



THE WAR IN AFRICA. 221 

it was too late, the king commanded the pilot to steer 
eastward, with a view to seek protection of the king 
of Egypt. But the weather becoming rough, he con- 
sented to the advice of his companions, and sought 
harbor in an island which lies between Sicily and 
Africa. There he found Gradasso, the warlike king 
of Sericane, who had come to France to possess him- 
self of the horse Bayard and the sword Durindana ; 
and, having procured both these prizes, was returning 
to his own country. 

The two kings, who had been companions in arms 
under the walls of Paris, embraced one another affec- 
tionately. Gradasso learned with regret the reverses 
of Agramant, and offered him his troops and his 
person. He strongly deprecated resorting to Egypt 
for aid. " Remember the great Pompey," said he, 
" and shun that fatal shore. My plan," he continued, 
" is this : I mean to challenge Orlando to single com- 
bat. Possessed of such a sword and steed as mine, 
if he were made of steel or bronze, he could not 
escape me. He being removed, there will be no diffi- 
culty in driving back the Abyssinians. We will 
rouse against them the Moslem nations from the other 
side of the Nile, the Arabians, Persians, and Chal- 
deans, who will soon make Senapus recall his army 
to defend his own territories." 



222 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

Agramant approved this advice except in one par- 
ticular. " It is for me," said he, " to combat Or- 
lando ; I cannot with honor devolve that duty on 
another." 

" Let us adopt a third course," said the aged war- 
rior Sobrino. " I would not willingly remain a simple 
spectator of such a contest. Let us send three squires 
to the shore of Africa to challenge Orlando and any 
two of his companions in arms to meet us three in this 
island of Lampedusa." 

This counsel was adopted; the three squires sped 
on their way ; and now presented themselves, and re- 
hearsed their message to the Christian knights. 

Orlando was delighted, and rewarded the squires 
with rich gifts. He had already resolved to seek 
Gradasso and compel him to restore Durindana, which 
he had learned was in his possession. For his two 
companions, the Count chose his faithful friend Floris- 
mart and his cousin Oliver. 

The three warriors embarked, and sailing with a 
favorable wind, the second morning showed them, on 
their right, the island where this important battle was 
to be fought. Orlando and his two companions, having 
landed, pitched their tent. Agramant had placed his 
opposite. 

Next morning, as soon as Aurora brightened the 



THE WAR IN AFRICA. 223 

edges of the horizon, the warriors of both parties 
armed themselves and mounted their horses. They 
took their positions, face to face, lowered their lances, 
placed them in rest, clapped spurs to their horses, and 
flew to the charge. Orlando met the charge of Gra- 
dasso. The paladin was unmoved, but his horse could 
not sustain the terrible shock of Bayard. He recoiled, 
staggered, and fell some paces behind. Orlando tried 
to raise him, but, finding his efforts unavailing, seized 
his shield, and drew his famous Balisardo. Meanwhile 
Agramant and the brave Oliver gained no advan- 
tage, one or the other; but Florismart unhorsed the 
King Sobrino. Having brought his foe to the ground, 
he would not pursue his victory, but hastened to at- 
tack Gradasso, who had overthrown Orlando. Seeing 
him thus engaged, Orlando would not interfere, but ran 
with sword upraised upon Sobrino, and with one blow 
deprived him of sense and motion. Believing him 
dead, he next turned to aid his beloved Florismart. 
That brave paladin, neither in horse nor arms equal 
to his antagonist, could but parry and evade the blows 
of the terrible Durindana. Orlando, eager to succor 
him, was delayed for a moment in securing and 
mounting the horse of the King Sobrino. It was but 
an instant, and with sword upraised, he rushed upon 
Gradasso; who, noways disconcerted at the onset of 



224 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

this second foe, shouted his defiance, and thrust at 
him with his sword, but, having miscalculated the 
distance, scarcely reached him, and failed to pierce 
his mail. Orlando, in return, dealt him a blow with 
Balisardo, which wounded as it fell, face, breast, and 
thigh, and, if he had been a little nearer, would have 
cleft him in twain. Sobrino, by this time recovered 
from his swoon, though severely wounded, raised him- 
self on his leers, and looked to see how he might 
aid his friends. Observing Agramant hard pressed by 
Oliver, he thrust his sword into the bowels of the 
latter's horse, which fell, and bore down his master, 
entangling his leg as he fell, so that Oliver could not 
extricate himself. Florismart saw the danger of his 
friend, and ran upon Sobrino with his horse, over- 
threw him, and then turned to defend himself from 
Agramant. They were not unequally matched, for 
though Agramant, mounted on Brigliadoro, had an 
advantage over Florismart, whose horse was but in- 
different, yet Agramant had received a serious wound 
in his encounter with Oliver. 

Nothing could exceed the fury of the encounter 
between Orlando and Gradasso. Durindana, in the 
hands of Gradasso, clove asunder whatever it struck ; 
but such was the skill of Orlando, who perfectly knew 
the danger to which he was exposed from a stroke 



THE WAR IN AFEICA. 225 

of that weapon, it had not yet struck him in such a 
way as to inflict a wound. Meanwhile, Gradasso was 
bleeding from many wounds, and his rage and in- 
caution increased every moment. In his desperation, 
he lifted Durindana with both hands, and struck so 
terrible a blow full on the helmet of Orlando, that for 
a moment it stunned the paladin. He dropped the 
reins, and his frightened horse scoured with him over 
the plain. Gradasso turned to pursue him, but at 
that moment saw Florismart in the very act of striking 
a fatal blow at Agramant, whom he had unhorsed. 
While Florismart was wholly intent upon completing 
his victory, Gradasso plunged his sword into his side. 
Florismart fell from his horse, and bathed the plain 
with his blood. 

Orlando recovered himself just in time to see the 
deed. Whether rage or grief predominated in his 
breast, I cannot tell ; but, seizing Balisardo with fury, 
his first blow fell upon Agramant, who was nearest 
to him, and smote his head from his shoulders. At 
this sight, Gradasso, for the first time, felt his courage 
sink, and a dark presentiment of death come over him. 
He hardly stood on his defence when Orlando cast 
himself upon him, and gave him a fatal thrust. The 
sword penetrated his ribs, and came out a palm's 
breadth on the other side of his body. 

10* o 



226 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

Thus fell beneath the sword of the most illustrious 
paladin of France the bravest warrior of the Saracen 
host. Orlando then, as if despising his victory, leaped 
lightly to the ground, and ran to his dear friend 
Florismart, embraced him, and bathed him with his 
tears. Florismart still breathed. He could even com- 
mand his voice to utter a few parting words : " Dear 
friend, do not forget me, — give me your prayers, — 
and oh ! be a brother to Flordelis." He died in utter- 
ing her name. 

After a few moments given to grief, Orlando turned 
to look for his other companion and his late foes. 
Oliver lay oppressed with the weight of his horse, 
from w r hich he had in vain struggled to liberate him- 
self. Orlando extricated him with difficulty; he then 
raised Sobrino from the earth, and committed him to 
his squire, treating him as gently as if he had been 
his own brother. For this terrible warrior was the 
most generous of men to a fallen foe. He took Bay- 
ard and Brigliadoro, with the arms of the conquered 
knights ; their bodies and their other spoils he remit- 
ted to their attendants. 

But who can tell the grief of Flordelis when she 
saw the warriors return, and found not Florismart as 
usual after absence hasten to her side. She knew by 
the aspect of the others that her lord was slain. At 



THE WAR IN AFKICA. 227 

the thought, and before the question could pass her 
lips, she fell senseless upon the ground. When life 
returned, and she learned the truth of her worst fears, 
she bitterly upbraided herself that she had let him 
depart without her. " I might have saved him by 
a single cry when his enemy dealt him that treacher- 
ous blow, or I might have thrown myself between, 
and given my worthless life for his. Or if no more, 
I might have heard his last words, I might have given 
him a last kiss." So she lamented, and could not be 
comforted. 




ROGERO AND BRADAMANTE. 



AFTER the interruption of the combat with Ri- 
naldo, as we have related, Rogero was per- 
plexed with doubts what course to take. The terms 
of the treaty required him to abandon Agramant, who 
had broken it, and to transfer his allegiance to Charle- 
magne ; and his love for Bradamante called him in 
the same direction ; but unwillingness to desert his 
prince and leader in the hour of distress forbade this 
course. Embarking, therefore, for Africa, he took his 
way to rejoin the Saracen army ; but was arrested 
midway by a storm which drove the vessel on a rock. 
The crew took to their boat, but that was quickly 



EOGEEO AND BEADAMANTE. 229 

swamped in the waves, and Rogero with the rest 
were compelled to swim for their lives. Then while 
buffeting the waves Rogero bethought him of his sin 
in so long delaying his Christian profession, and vowed 
in his heart that, if he should live to reach the land, 
he would no longer delay to be baptized. His vows 
were heard and answered; he succeeded in reaching 
the shore, and was aided and relieved on landing by 
a pious hermit, whose cell overlooked the sea. From 
him he received baptism, having first passed some 
days with him, partaking his humble fare, and re- 
ceiving instruction in the doctrines of the Christian 
faith. 

While these things were going on, Rinaldo, who 
had set out on his way to seek Grradasso and recover 
Bayard from him, hearing on his way of the great 
things which were doing in Africa, repaired thither 
to bear his part in them. He arrived too late to do 
more than join his friends in lamenting the loss of 
Florismart, and to rejoice with them in their victory 
over the Pagan knights. On the death of their king, 
the Africans gave up the contest, Biserta submitted, 
and the Christian knights had only to dismiss their 
forces, and return home. Astolpho took leave of his 
Abyssinian army, and sent them back laden with 
spoil to their own country, not forgetting to intrust 



230 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

to them the bag which held the winds, by means of 
which they were enabled to cross the sandy desert 
again without danger, and did not untie it till they 
reached their own country. 

Orlando now, with Oliver, who much needed the 
surgeon's care, and Sobrino, to whom equal attention 
was shown, sailed in a swift vessel to Sicily, bearing 
with him the body of Florismart, to be laid in Chris- 
tian earth. Rinaldo accompanied them, as did San- 
sonnet and the other Christian leaders. Arrived at 
Sicily, the funeral was solemnized with all the rites 
of religion, and with the profound grief of those who 
had known Florismart, or had heard of his fame. 
Then they resumed their course, steering for Mar- 
seilles. But Oliver's wound grew worse instead of 
better, and his sufferings so distressed his friends that 
they conferred together, not knowing what to do. 
Then said the pilot, " We are not far from an isle, 
where a holy hermit dwells alone in the midst of the 
sea. It is said none seek his counsel or his aid in 
vain. He hath wrought marvellous cures, and if you 
resort to that holy man, without doubt he can heal 
the knight." Orlando bade him steer thither, and 
soon the bark was laid safely beside the lonely rock ; 
the wounded man was lowered into their boat, and 
carried by the crew to the hermit's cell. It was the 



ROGERO AND BEADAMANTE. 231 

same hermit with whom Rogero had taken refuge 
after his shipwreck, by whom he had been baptized, 
and with whom he was now staying, absorbed in 
sacred studies and meditations. 

The holy man received Orlando and the rest with 
kindness, and inquired their errand ; and being told 
that they had come for help for one who, warring 
for the Christian faith, was brought to perilous pass 
by a sad wound, he straightway undertook the cure. 
His applications were simple, but they were seconded 
by his prayers. The paladin was soon relieved from 
pain, and in a few days his foot was perfectly restored 
to soundness. Sobrino, as soon as he perceived the 
holy monk perform that wonder, cast aside his false 
prophet, and with contrite heart owned the true God, 
and demanded baptism at his hands. The hermit 
granted his request, and also by his prayers restored 
him to health, while all the Christian knights rejoiced 
in his conversion almost as much as at the restoration 
of Oliver. More than all, Rogero felt joy and grati- 
tude, and daily grew in grace and faith. 

Rogero was known by fame to all the Christian 
knights, but not even Rinaldo knew him by sight, 
though he had proved his prowess in combat. Sobrino 
made him known to them, and great was the joy of 
all when they found one whose valor and courtesy 



232 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

were renowned through the world no longer an enemy 
and unbeliever, but a convert and champion of the 
true faith. All press about the knight; one grasps 
his hand, another locks him fast in his embrace ; but 
more than all the rest, Rinaldo cherished him, for he 
more than any knew his worth. 

It was not long before Rogero confided to his friend 
the hopes he entertained of a union with his sister, 
and Rinaldo frankly gave his sanction to the proposal. 
But causes unknown to the paladin were at that very- 
time interposing obstacles to its success. 

The fame of the beauty and worth of Bradamante 
had reached the ears of the Grecian Emperor Constan- 
tine, and he had sent to Charlemagne to demand the 
hand of his niece for Leo, his son, and the heir to his 
dominions. Duke Aymon, her father, had only re- 
served his consent until he should first have spoken 
with his son Rinaldo, now absent. 

The warriors now prepared to resume their voyage. 
Rogero took a tender farewell of the good hermit who 
had taught him the true faith. Orlando restored to 
him the horse and arms which were rightly his, not 
even asserting his claim to Balisarda, that sword 
which he himself had won from the enchantress. 

The hermit gave his blessing to the band, and they 
re-embarked. The passage was speedy, and very soon 
they arrived in the harbor of Marseilles. 



ROGEKO AND BKADAMANTE. 233 

Astolpho, when he had dismissed his troops, mount- 
ed the Hippogriff, and at one flight shot over to 
Sardinia, thence to Corsica, thence, turning slightly to 
the left, hovered over Provence, and alighted in the 
neighborhood of Marseilles. There he did what he 
had been commanded to do by the holy saint ; he 
unbridled the Hippogriff, and turned him loose to 
seek his own retreats, never more to be galled with 
saddle or bit. The horn had lost its marvellous power 
ever since the visit to the moon. 

Astolpho reached Marseilles the very day when 
Orlando, Rinaldo, Oliver, Sobrino, and Rogero arrived 
there. Charles had already heard the news of the 
defeat of the Saracen kings, and all the accompany- 
ing events. On learning the approach of the gallant 
knights, he sent forward some of his most illustrious 
nobles to receive them, and himself, with the rest of 
his court, kings, dukes, and peers, the queen, and a 
fair and gorgeous band of ladies, set forward from 
Aries to meet them. 

No sooner were the mutual greetings interchanged, 
than Orlando and his friends led forward Rogero, and 
presented him to the Emperor. They vouch him son 
of Rogero, Duke of Risa, one of the most renowned 
of Christian warriors, by adverse fortune stolen in his 
infancy, and brought up by Saracens in the false faith, 



234 LEGENDS OF CHAELEMAGNE. 

now by a kind Providence converted, and restored to 
fill the place his father once held among the foremost 
champions of the throne and Church. 

Kogero had alighted from his horse, and stood 
respectfully before the Emperor. Charlemagne bade 
him remount and ride beside him ; and omitted nothing 
which might do him honor in sight of his martial 
train. With pomp triumphal and with festive cheer 
the troop returned to the city; the streets were deco- 
rated with garlands, the houses hung with rich tapes- 
try, and flowers fell like rain upon the conquering 
host from the hands of fair dames and damsels, from 
every balcony and window. So welcomed, the mighty 
Emperor passed on till he reached the ro}^al palace, 
where many days he feasted, high in hall, with his 
lords, amid tourney, revel, dance, and song. 

When Binaldo told his father, Duke Aymon, how 
he had promised his sister to Rogero, his father heard 
him with indignation, having set his heart on seeing 
her united to the Grecian Emperor's son. The Lady 
Beatrice, her mother, also appealed to Bradamante 
herself to reject a knight who had neither title nor 
lands, and give the preference to one who would make 
her Empress of the wide Levant. But Bradamante, 
though respect forbade her to refuse her mother's 
entreaty, would not promise to do what her heart 



KOGEKO AND BEADAMANTE. 235 

repelled, and answered only with a sigh, until she 
was alone, and then gave a loose to tears. 

Meanwhile Rogero, indignant that a stranger should 
presume to rob him of his bride, determined to seek 
the Prince of Greece, and defy him to mortal combat. 
With this design he donned his armor, but exchanged 
his crest and emblazonment, and bore instead a white 
unicorn upon a crimson field. He chose a trusty 
squire, and, commanding him not to address him as 
Rogero, rode on his quest. Having crossed the Rhine 
and the Austrian countries into Hungary, he followed 
the course of the Danube till he reached Belgrade. 
There he saw the imperial ensigns spread, and white 
pavilions, thronged with troops, before the town. For 
the Emperor Constantine was laying siege to the 
city to recover it from the Bulgarians, who had taken 
it from him not long before. 

A river flowed between the camp of the Emperor 
and the Bulgarians, and at the moment when Rogero 
approached, a skirmish had begun between the parties 
from either camp, who had approached the stream for 
the purpose of watering. The Greeks in that affray 
were four to one, and drove back the Bulgarians in 
precipitate rout. Rogero, seeing this, and animated 
only by his hatred of the Grecian prince, dashed into 
the middle of the flying mass, calling aloud on the 



236 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

fugitives to turn. He encountered first a leader of 
the Grecian host in splendid armor, a nephew of the 
Emperor, as dear to him as a son. Rogero's lance 
pierced shield and armor, and stretched the warrior 
breathless on the plain. Another and another fell 
before him, and astonishment and terror arrested the 
advance of the Greeks, while the Bulgarians, catch- 
ing courage from the cavalier, rally, change front, 
and chase the Grecian troops, who fly in their turn. 
Leo, the prince, was at a distance when this sudden 
skirmish rose, but not so far but that he could see 
distinctly, from an elevated position which he held, 
how the changed battle was all the work of one man, 
and could not choose but admire the bravery and 
prowess with which it was done. He knew by the 
blazonry displayed that the champion was not of 
the Bulgarian army, though he furnished aid to them. 
Although he suffered by his valor, the prince could 
not wish him ill, for his admiration surpassed his re- 
sentment. By this time the Greeks had regained the 
river, and, crossing it by fording or swimming, some 
made their escape, leaving many more prisoners in 
the hands of the Bulgarians. Rogero, learning from 
some of the captives that Leo was at a point some 
distance down the river, rode thither with a view to 
meet him, but arrived not before the Greek prince 



KOGERO AND BRADAMANTE. 237 

tad retired beyond the stream, and broken up the 
bridge. Day was spent, and Rogero, wearied, looked 
round for a shelter for the night. He found it in a 
cottage, where he soon yielded himself to repose. It 
so happened, a knight who had narrowly escaped 
Rogero's sword in the late battle also found shelter 
in the same cottage, and, recognizing the armor of 
the unknown knight, easily found means of securing 
him as he slept, and next morning carried him in 
chains, and delivered him to the Emperor. By him 
he was in turn delivered to his sister Theodora, mother 
of the young knight, the first victim of Rogero's spear., 
By her he was cast into a dungeon, till her ingenuity 
could devise a death sufficiently painful to satiate her 
revenge. 

Bradamante, meanwhile, to escape her father's and 
mother's importunity, had begged a boon of Charle- 
magne, which the monarch pledged his royal word to 
grant ; it was that she should not be compelled to 
marry any one unless he should first vanquish her in 
single combat. The Emperor, therefore, proclaimed a 
tournament in these words : " He that would wed 
Duke Aymon's daughter must contend with the sword 
against that dame, from the sun's rise to his setting ; 
and if, in that time, he is not overcome, the lady shall 
be his." 



238 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

Duke Aymon and the Lady Beatrice, though much 
incensed at the course things had taken, brought their 
daughter to court, to await the day appointed for the 
tournament. Bradamante, not finding there him whom 
her heart required, distressed herself with doubts what 
could be the cause of his absence. Of all fancies, the 
most painful one was- that he had gone away to learn 
to forget her, knowing her father's and her mother's 
opposition to their union, and despairing to contend 
against them. But how much worse would be the 
maiden's woe, if it were known to her what her be- 
trothed was then enduring ! 

He was plunged in a dungeon where no ray of day- 
light ever penetrated, loaded with chains, and scantily 
supplied with the coarsest food. No wonder despair 
took possession of his heart, and he longed for death as 
a relief, when one night (or one day, for both were 
equally dark to him) he was roused with the glare of 
a torch, and saw two men enter his cell.j. It was the 
Prince Leo, with an attendant, who had come as soon 
as he had learned the wretched fate of the brave knight 
whose valor he had seen and admired on the field of 
battle. " Cavalier," said he, " I am one whom thy 
valor hath so bound to thee, that I willingly peril my 
own safety to lend thee aid." " Infinite thanks I owe 
you," replied Rogero, " and the life you give me I 



ROGERO AND BRADAMANTE. 239 

promise faithfully to render back upon your call, and 
promptly to stake it at all times for your service." 
The prince then told Rogero his name and rank, at 
hearing which a tide of contending emotions almost 
overwhelmed Rogero. He was set at liberty, and had 
his horse and arms restored to him. 

Meanwhile, tidings arrived of King Charles's decree 
that whoever aspired to the hand of Bradamante must 
first encounter her with sword and lance. This news 
made the Grecian prince turn pale, for he knew he 
was no match for her in fight. Communing with him- 
self, he sees how he may make his wit supply the place 
of valor, and employ the French knight, whose name 
was still unknown to him, to fight the battle for him. 
Rogero heard the proposal with extreme distress ; yet 
it seemed worse than death to deny the first request 
of one to whom he owed his life. Hastily he gave 
his assent " to do in all things that which Leo should 
command." Afterward, bitter repentance came over 
him ; yet, rather than confess his change of mind, 
death itself would be welcome. Death seems his only 
remedy ; but how to die ? Sometimes he thinks to 
make none but a feigned resistance, and allow her 
sword a ready access, for never can death come more 
happily than if her hand guide the weapon. Yet this 
will not avail, for, unless he wins the maid for the 



240 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

Greek prince, his debt remains unpaid. He had prom- 
ised to maintain a real, not a feigned encounter. He 
will then keep his word, and banish every thought 
from his bosom except that which moved him to main- 
tain his truth. 

The young prince, richly attended, set out, and 
with him Rogero. They arrived at Paris, but Leo 
preferred not to enter the city, and pitched his tents 
without the walls, making known his arrival to 
Charlemagne by an embassy. The monarch was 
pleased, and testified his courtesy by visits and gifts. 
The prince set forth the purpose of his coming, and 
prayed the Emperor to dispatch his suit, — " to send 
forth the damsel who refused ever to take in wedlock 
any lord inferior to herself in fight ; for she should 
be his bride, or he would perish beneath her sword." 

Rogero passed the* night before the day assigned 
for the battle like that which the felon spends, con- 
demned to pay the forfeit of his life on the ensuing 
day. He chose to fight with sword only, and on foot, 
for he would not let her see Frontino, knowing that 
she would recognize the steed. Nor would he use 
Balisarda, for against that enchanted blade all armor 
would be of no avail, and the sword that he did take 
he hammered well upon the edge to abate its sharp- 
ness. He wore the surcoat of Prince Leo, and his 



ROGERO AND BRADAMANTE. 241 

shield, emblazoned with a golden, double-headed eagle. 
The prince took care to let himself be seen by none. 
Bradamante, meanwhile, prepared herself for the 
combat far differently. Instead of blunting the edge 
of her falchion, she whets the steel, and would fain 
infuse into it her own acerbity. As the moment ap- 
proached, she seemed to have fire within her veins, 
and waited impatiently for the trumpet's sound. At 
the signal, she drew her sword, and fell with fury 
upon her Rogero. But as a well-built wall or aged 
rock stands unmoved the fury of the storm, so Rogero, 
clad in those arms which Trojan Hector once wore, 
withstood the strokes which stormed about his head 
and breast and flank. Sparks flew from his shield, 
his helm, his cuirass ; from direct and back strokes, 
aimed now high, now low, falling thick and fast, like 
hailstones on a cottage roof; but Rogero, with skilful 
ward, turns them aside, or receives them where his 
armor is a sure protection, careful only to protect him- 
self, and with no thought of striking in return. Thus 
the hours passed away, and, as the sun approached the 
west, the damsel began to despair. But so much the 
more her anger increases, and she redoubles her ef- 
forts, like the craftsman who sees his work unfinished 
while the day is wellnigh spent. O miserable dam- 
sel! didst thou know whom thou wouldst kill, — if, in 
11 p 



242 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

that cavalier matched against thee thou didst but 
know Rogero, on whom thy very life-threads hang, 
rather than kill him thou wouldst kill thyself, for he 
is dearer to thee than life. 

King Charles and the peers, who thought the cava- 
lier to be the Grecian prince, viewing such force and 
skill exhibited, and how without assaulting her the 
knight defended himself, were filled with admiration, 
and declared the. champions well matched, and worthy 
of each other. 

When the sun was set, Charlemagne gave the sig- 
nal for terminating the contest, and Bradamante was 
awarded to Prince Leo as a bride. Rogero, in deep 
distress, returned to his tent. There Leo unlaced his 
helmet, and kissed him on both cheeks. " Hence- 
forth," said he, " do with me as you please, for you 
cannot exhaust my gratitude." Rogero replied little, 
laid aside the ensigns he had worn, and resumed the 
unicorn, then hasted to withdraw himself from all 
eyes. When it was midnight he rose, saddled Fron- 
tino, and sallied from his tent, taking that direction 
which pleased his steed. All night he rode absorbed 
in bitter woe, and called on Death as alone capable 
of relieving his sufferings. At last he entered a 
forest, and penetrated into its deepest recesses. There 
he unharnessed Frontino, and suffered him to wander 



KOGERO AND BRADAMANTE. 243 

where he would. Then he threw himself down on the 
ground, and poured forth such bitter wailings that the 
birds and beasts, for none else heard him, were moved 
to pity with his cries. 

Not less was the distress of the lady Bradamante, 
who, rather than wed any one but Rogero, resolved 
to break her word, and defy kindred, court, and 
Charlemagne himself; and, if nothing else would do, 
to die. But relief came from an unexpected quarter. 
Marphisa, sister of Rogero, was a heroine of warlike 
prowess equal to Bradamante. She had been the 
confidante of their loves, and felt hardly less distress 
than themselves at seeing the perils which threatened 
their union. " They are already united by mutual 
vows," she said, " and in the sight of Heaven what 
more is necessary ? " Full of this thought she pre- 
sented herself before Charlemagne, and declared that 
she herself was witness that the maiden had spoken to 
Rogero those words which they who marry swear ; 
and that the compact was so sealed between the pair 
that they were no longer free, nor could forsake, the 
one the other, to take another spouse. This her 
assertion she offered to prove, in single combat, against 
Prince Leo, or any one else. 

Charlemagne, sadly perplexed at this, commanded 
Bradamante to be called, and told her what the bold 



244 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

Marphisa had declared. Bradamante neither denied 
nor confirmed the statement, but hung her head, and 
kept silence. Duke Aymon was enraged, and would 
fain have set aside the pretended contract on the 
ground that, if made at all, it must have been made 
before Rogero was baptized, and therefore void. But 
not so thought Rinaldo, nor the good Orlando, and 
Charlemagne knew not which way to decide, when 
Marphisa spoke thus : — 

" Since no one else can many the maiden while 
my brother lives, let the prince meet Rogero in mor- 
tal combat, and let him who survives take her for 
his bride." 

This saying pleased the Emperor, and was accepted 
by the prince, for he thought that, by the aid of his 
unknown champion, he should surely triumph in the 
fight. Proclamation was therefore made for Rogero 
to appear and defend his suit; and Leo, on his part, 
caused search to be made on all sides for the knight 
of the Unicorn. 

Meanwhile Rogero, overwhelmed with despair, lay 
stretched on the ground in the forest night and day 
without food, courting death. Here he was discovered 
by one of Leo's people, who, finding him resist all 
attempts to remove him, hastened to his master, who 
was not far off, and brought him to the spot. As he 



EOGEEO AND BEADAMANTE. 245 

approached, he heard words which convinced him that 
love was the cause of the knight's despair; but no 
clew was given to guide him to the object of that love. 
Stooping down, the prince embraced the weeping war- 
rior, and, in the tenderest accents, said : " Spare not, 
I entreat you, to disclose the cause of your distress, 
for few such desperate evils betide mankind as are 
wholly past cure. It grieves me much that you would 
hide your grief from me, for I am bound to you by 
ties that nothing can undo. Tell me, then, your grief, 
and leave me to try if wealth, art, cunning, force, or 
persuasion cannot relieve you. If not, it will be time 
enough, after all has been tried in vain, to die." 

He spoke in such moving accents, that Rogero 
could not choose but yield. It was some time before 
he could command utterance ; at last he said, " My 
lord, when you shall know me for what I am, I doubt 
not you, like myself, will be content that I should die. 
Know, then, I am that Rogero whom you have so 
much cause to hate, and who so hated you that, in- 
tent on putting you to death, he went to seek you at 
your father's court. This I did because I could not 
submit to see my promised bride borne off by you. 
But, as man purposes and God disposes, your great 
courtesy, well tried in time of sore need, so moved 
my fixed resolve, that I not only laid aside the hate I 



246 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

bore, but purposed to be your friend forever. You 
then asked of me to win for you the lady Brada- 
mante, which was all one as to demand of me my 
heart and soul. You know whether I served you 
faithfully or not. Yours is the lady; possess her in 
peace; but ask me not to live to see it. Be content 
rather that I die; for vows have passed between my- 
self and her which forbid that while I live she can 
lawfully wive with another." 

So filled was gentle Leo with astonishment at these 
words, that for a while he stood silent, with lips un- 
moved, and steadfast gaze, like a statue. And the dis- 
covery that the stranger was Roger o not only abated 
not the good- will he bore him, but increased it, so 
that his distress for what Rogero suffered seemed equal 
to his own. For this, and because lie would appear 
deservedly an Emperor's son, and, though in other 
things outdone, would not be surpassed in courtesy, 
he says : " Rogero, had I known, that day when your 
matchless valor routed my troops, that you were 
Rogero, your virtue would have made me your own, 
as then it made me while I knew not my foe, and I 
should have no less gladly rescued you from Theodo- 
ra's dungeon. And if I would willingly have done so 
then, how much more gladly will I now restore the 
gift of which you would rob yourself to confer it upon 



ROGERO AND BRADAMANTE. 247 

me. The damsel is more due to you than to me, and 
though I know her worth, I would forego not only 
her, but life itself, rather than distress a knight like 
you." 

This and much more he said to the same intent ; 
till at last Rogero replied, " I yield, and am content to 
live, and thus a second time owe my life to you." 

But several days elapsed before Rogero was so far 
restored as to return to the royal residence, where an 
embassy had arrived from the Bulgarian princes to seek 
the knight of the unicorn, and tender to him the 
crown of that country, in place of their king, fallen 
in battle. 

Thus were things situated when Prince Leo, leading 
by the hand Rogero, clad in the battered armor in 
which he had sustained the conflict with Bradamante, 
presented himself before the king. " Behold," he said, 
"the champion who maintained from dawn to setting 
sun the arduous contest ; he comes to claim the guer- 
don of the fight." King Charlemagne, with all his 
peerage, stood amazed ; for all believed that the Gre- 
cian prince himself had fought with Bradamante. 
Then stepped forth Marphisa, and said, " Since Rogero 
is not here to assert his rights, I, his sister, undertake 
his cause, and will maintain it against whoever shall 
dare dispute his claim." She said this with so much 



248 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

anger and disdain, that the prince deemed it no longer 
wise to feign, and withdrew Rogero's helmet from his 
brow, saying, " Behold him here ! " Who can de- 
scribe the astonishment and joy of Marphisa ! She 
ran and threw her arms about her brother's neck, 
nor would give way to let Charlemagne and Rinaldo, 
Orlando, Dudon, and the rest who crowded round, 
embrace him, and press friendly kisses on his brow. 
The joyful tidings flew fast by many a messenger to 

.0 

Bradamante, who in her secret chamber lay lamenting. 
The blood that stagnated about her heart flowed at 
that notice so fast, that she had wellnigh died for joy. 
Duke Aymon and the Lady Beatrice no longer with- 
held their consent, and pledged their daughter to the 
brave Rogero before all that gallant company. 

Now came the Bulgarian ambassadors, and, kneeling 
at the feet of Rogero, besought him to return with 
them to their country, where, in Adrianople, the crown 
and sceptre were awaiting his acceptance. Prince Leo 
united his persuasions to theirs, and promised, in his 
royal father's name, that peace should be restored on 
their part. Rogero gave his consent, and it was sur- 
mised that none of the virtues which shone so conspic- 
uously in him so availed to recommend Rogero to the 
Lady Beatrice, as the hearing her future son-in-law 
saluted as a sovereign prince. 



R ■ w 




THE BATTLE OF RONCESVALLES. 



AFTER the expulsion of the Saracens from France, 
Charlemagne led his army into Spain, to punish 
Marsilius, the king of that country, for having sided 
with the African Saracens in the late war. Charle- 
magne succeeded in all his attempts, and compelled 
Marsilius to submit, and pay tribute to France. Our 
readers will remember Gano, otherwise called Gan, 
or Ganelon, whom we mentioned in one of our early 
chapters as an old courtier of Charlemagne, and a 
deadly enemy of Orlando, Rinaldo, and all their 
friends. He had great influence over Charles, from 
equality of age and long intimacy; and he was not 
11* 



250 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

without good qualities : lie was brave and sagacious, 
but envious, false, and treacherous. Gan prevailed 
on Charles to send him as ambassador to Marsilius, 
to arrange the tribute. He embraced Orlando over 
and over again at taking leave, using such pains to 
seem loving and sincere, that his hypocrisy was mani- 
fest to every one but the old monarch. He fastened 
with equal tenderness on Oliver, w r ho smiled con- 
temptuously in his face, and thought to himself, " You 
may make as many fair speeches as you choose, but 
you lie." All the other paladins wdio were present 
thought the same, and they said as much to the 
Emperor, adding, that Gan should on no account be 
sent ambassador to the Spaniards. But Charles was 
infatuated. 

Gan was received with great honor by Marsilius. 
The king, attended by his lords, came fifteen miles 
out of Saragossa to meet him, and then conducted 
him into the city with acclamations. There was 
nothing for several days but balls, games, and exhibi- 
tions of chivalry, the ladies throwing flowers on the 
heads of the French knights, and the people shouting, 
" France ! Mountjoy and St. Denis ! " 

After the ceremonies of the first reception, the king 
and the ambassador began to understand one another. 
One day they sat together in a garden on the border 



THE BATTLE OF EOXCES VALLES. 251 

of a fountain. The water was so clear and smootli 
it reflected every object around, and the spot was 
encircled with fruit-trees which quivered with the 
fresh air. As they sat and talked, as if without 
restraint, Gan, without looking the king in the face, 
was enabled to see the expression of his countenance 
in the water, and governed his speech accordingly. 
Marsilius was equally adroit, and watched the face 
of Gan while he addressed him. Marsilius began by 
lamenting, not as to the ambassador, but as to the 
friend, the injuries which Charles had done him by 
invading his dominions, charging him with wishing to 
take his kingdom from him, and give it to Orlando ; 
till at length he plainly uttered his belief that, if that 
ambitious paladin were but dead, good men would 
get their rights. 

Gan heaved a sigh, as if he was unwillingly com- 
pelled to allow the force of what the king said ; but, 
unable to contain himself long, he lifted up his face, 
radiant with triumphant wickedness, and exclaimed : 
"Every word you utter is truth; die he must, and die 
also must Oliver, who struck me that foul blow at 
court. Is it treachery to punish affronts like these? 
I have planned everything, — I have settled every- 
thing already with their besotted master. Orlando 
will come to your borders, — to Roncesvalles, — - 



252 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

for the purpose of receiving the tribute. Charles 
will await him at the foot of the mountains. Orlando 
will bring but a small band with him: you, when you 
meet him, will have secretly your whole army at your 
back. You surround him, and who receives tribute 
then?" 

The new Judas had scarcely uttered these words 
when his exultation was interrupted by a change in 
the face of nature. The sky was suddenly overcast, 
there was thunder and lightning, a laurel was split in 
two from head to foot, and the Carob-tree under 
which Gan was sitting, which is said to be the species 
of tree on which Judas Iscariot hung himself, dropped 
one of its pods on his head. 

Marsilius, as well as Gan, was appalled at this 
omen ; but on assembling his soothsayers they came 
to the conclusion that the laurel-tree turned the omen 
against the Emperor, the successor of • the Caesars, 
though one of them renewed the consternation of 
Gan by saying that he did not understand the mean- 
ing of the tree of Judas, and intimating that perhaps 
the ambassador could explain it. Gan relieved his 
vexation by anger; the habit of wickedness prevailed 
over all other considerations ; and the king prepared 
to march to Roncesvalles at the head of all his forces. 

Gan wrote to Charlemagne to say how humbly and 



THE BATTLE OF RONCES VALLES. 253 

submissively Marsilius was coming to pay the tribute 
into the hands of Orlando, and how handsome it 
would be of the Emperor to meet him half-way, and 
so be ready to receive him after the payment at . his 
camp. He added a brilliant account of the tribute, 
and the accompanying presents. The good Emperor 
wrote in turn to say how pleased he was with the 
ambassador's diligence, and that matters were arranged 
precisely as he wished. His court, however, had its 
suspicions still, though they little thought Gan's object 
in brino-ino; Charles into the neighborhood of Ronces- 
valles was to deliver him into the hands of Marsilius, 
after Orlando should have been destroyed by him. 

Orlando, however, did as his lord and sovereign 
desired. He went to Roncesvalles, accompanied by a 
moderate train of warriors, not dreaming of the atroci- 
ty that awaited him. Gan, meanwhile, had hastened 
back to France, in order to show himself free and 
easy in the presence of Charles, and secure the suc- 
cess of his plot; while Marsilius, to make assurance 
doubly sure, brought into the passes of Roncesvalles 
no less than three armies, which were successively to 
fall on the paladin in case of the worst, and so extin- 
guish him with numbers. He had also, by Gan's 
advice, brought heaps of wine and good cheer to be 
set before his victims in the first instance ; " for that," 



254 LEGENDS OF CHAKLEMAGNE. 

said the traitor, " will render the onset the more effec- 
tive, the feasters being unarmed. One thing, how- 
ever, I must not forget," added he; "my son Bald- 
win is sure to be with Orlando ; you must take care 
of his life for my sake." ' 

" I give him this vesture off my own body," said 
the king; "let him wear it in the battle, and have 
no fear. My soldiers shall be directed not to touch 
him." 

Gan went away rejoicing to France. He embraced 
the sovereign and the court all round with the air 
of a man who had brought them nothing but bless- 
ings, and the old king wept for very tenderness and 
delight. 

" Something is going on wrong, and looks very 
black," thought Malagigi, the good wizard ; " Rinaldo 
is not here, and it is indispensably necessary that he 
should be. I must find out where he is, and Ricci- 
ardetto too, and send for them with all speed." 

Malagigi called up by his art a wise, terrible, and 
cruel spirit, named Ashtaroth. " Tell me, and tell 
me truly, of Rinaldo," said Malagigi to the spirit. 
The demon looked hard at the paladin, and said 
nothing. His aspect was clouded and violent. 

The enchanter, with an aspect still cloudier, bade 
Ashtaroth lay down that look; and made signs as if 



THE BATTLE OF KONCES V ALLES. 255 

he would resort to angrier compulsion ; and the devil, 
alarmed, loosened his tongue, and said, "You have 
not told me what you desire to know of Rinaldo." 

" I desire to know what he has been doing, and 
where he is." 

" He has been conquering and baptizing the world, 
east and west," said the demon, " and is now in 
Egypt with Ricciardetto." 

"And what has Gan been plotting with Mar- 
silius ? " inquired Malagigi ; " and what is to come 
of it?" 

" I know not," said the devil. " I was not at- 
tending to Gan at the time, and we fallen spirits 
know not the future. All I discern is that by the 
signs and comets in the heavens something dreadful 
is about to happen, — something very strange, treach- 
erous, and bloody ; — and that Gan has a seat ready 
prepared for him in hell." 

" Within three days," cried the enchanter, loudly, 
" bring Rinaldo and Ricciardetto into the pass of Ron- 
cesvalles. Do it, and I hereby undertake to summon 
thee no more." 

" Suppose they will not trust themselves with me ? " 
said the spirit. 

"Enter Rinaldo's horse, and bring him, whether he 
trust thee or not." 



256 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

" It shall be done," returned the demon. 
There was an earthquake, and Ashtaroth disap- 
peared. 



Marsilius now made his first movement towards the 
destruction of Orlando, by sending before him his 
vassal, King Blanchardin, with his presents of wines 
and other luxuries. The temperate but courteous 
hero took them in good part, and distributed them as 
the traitor wished ; and then Blanchardin, on pretence 
of going forward to salute Charlemagne, returned, and 
put himself at the head of the second army, which 
was the post assigned him by his liege-lord. King 
Falseron, whose son Orlando had slain in battle, 
headed the first army, and King Balugante the third. 
Marsilius made a speech to them, in which he let 
them into his design, and concluded by recommend- 
ing to their good-will the son of his friend Gan, 
whom they would know by the vest he had sent him, 
and who was the only soul amongst the Christians 
they were to spare. 

This son of Gan, meanwhile, and several of the 
paladins, who distrusted the misbelievers, and were 
anxious at all events to be with Orlando, had joined 
the hero in the fated valley; so that the little Chris- 



THE BATTLE OF KONCESVALLES. 257 

tian host, considering the tremendous valor of their 
lord and his friends, were not to be sold for nothing. 
Rinaldo, alas ! the second thunderbolt of Christendom, 
was destined not to be there in time to meet the 
issue. The paladins in vain begged Orlando to be on 
his guard against treachery, and send ' for a more 
numerous body of men. The great heart of the 
Champion of the Faith was unwilling to harbor sus- 
picion as long as he could help it. He refused to 
summon aid which might be superfluous ; neither 
would he do anything but what his liege-lord had 
directed. And yet he could not wholly repress a 
misgiving. A shadow had fallen on his heart, great 
and cheerful as it was. The anticipations of his 
friends disturbed him, in spite of the face with which 
he met them. Perhaps by a certain foresight he felt 
his death approaching; but he felt bound not to en- 
courage the impression. Besides, time pressed ; the 
moment of the looked-for tribute was at hand, and 
little combinations of circumstances determine often the 
greatest events. 

King Marsilius was to arrive early next day with 
the tribute, and Oliver, with the morning sun, rode 
forth to reconnoitre, and see if he could discover the 
peaceful pomp of the Spanish court in the distance. 
He rode up the nearest height, and from the top of it 

Q 



258 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

beheld the first army of Marsilius already forming in 
the passes. " O devil Gan," he exclaimed, " this 
then is the consummation of thy labors ! " Oliver 
put spurs to his horse, and galloped back down the 
mountain to Orlando. 

" Well," cried the hero, " what news ? " 

" Bad news," said his cousin, " such as you would 
not hear of yesterday. Marsilius is here in arms, and 
all the world is with him." 

The paladins pressed round Orlando, and entreated 
him to sound his horn, in token that he needed help. 
His only answer was to mount his horse, and ride up 
the mountain with Sansonetto. 

As soon, however, as he cast forth his eyes, and 
beheld what was round about him, he turned in sor- 
row, and looked down into Roncesvalles, and said, 
" O miserable valley ! the blood shed in thee this day 
will color thy name forever." 

Orlando's little camp were furious against the Sara- 
cens. They armed themselves with the greatest im- 
patience. There was nothing but lacing of helmets 
and mounting of horses, while good Archbishop Tur- 
pin went from rank to rank exhorting and encourag- 
ing the warriors of Christ. Orlando and his captains 
withdrew for a moment to consultation. He fairly 
groaned for sorrow, and at first had not a word to 



THE BATTLE OF RONCES VALLES. 259 

say ; so wretched he felt at having brought his people 
to die in Roncesvalles. Then he said: "If it had 
entered into my heart to conceive the king of Spain 
to be such a villain, never would you have seen this 
day. He has exchanged with me a thousand cour- 
tesies and good words ; and I thought that the worse 
enemies we had been before, the better friends we 
had become now. I fancied every human being capa- 
ble of this kind of virtue on a good opportunity, 
saving, indeed, such base-hearted wretches as can never 
forgive their very forgivers ; and of these I did not 
suppose him to be one. Let us die, if die we must, 
like honest and gallant men, so that it shall be said of 
us, it was only our bodies that died. The reason 
why I did not sound the horn was partly because I 
thought it did not become us, and partly because our 
liege-lord could hardly save us, even if he heard it." 
And with these words Orlando sprang to his horse, 
crying, " Away, against the Saracens ! " But he had 
no sooner turned his face, than he wept bitterly, and 
said, " O Holy Virgin, think not of me, the sinner 
Orlando, but have pity on these thy servants ! " 

And now, with a mighty dust, and an infinite 
sound of horns and tambours which came filling the 
valley, the first army of the infidels made its appear- 
ance, horses neighing, and a thousand pennons flying 



260 LEGENDS OF CHAKLEMAGNE. 

in the air. King Falseron led them on, saying to his 
officers : " Let nobody dare to lay a finger on Orlando. 
He belongs to myself. The revenge of my son's death 
is mine. I will cut the man down that comes be- 
tween us." 

" Now friends," said Orlando, " every man for him- 
self, and St. Michael for us all ! There is not one 
here that is not a perfect knight." And he might 
well say it, for the flower of all France was there, 
except Kinaldo and Bicciardetto, — every man a picked 
man, all friends and constant companions of Orlando. 

So the captains of the little troop and of the great 
army sat looking at one another, and singling one 
another . out as the latter came on, and then the 
knights put spear in rest, and ran for a while two and 
two in succession, one against the other. 

Astolpho was the first to move. He ran against 
Arlotto of Soria, and thrust his antagonist's body out 
of the saddle, and his soul into the other world. 
Oliver encountered Malprimo, and, though he re- 
ceived a thrust which hurt him, sent his lance right 
through the heart of Malprimo. 

Falseron was daunted at this blow. " Truly," 
thought he, "this is a marvel." Oliver did not press 
on among the Saracens, his wound was too painful; 
but Orlando now put himself and his whole band in 



THE BATTLE OF EONCES VALLES. 261 

motion, and you may guess what an uproar ensued. 
The sound of the rattling of blows and helmets was 
as if the forge of Vulcan had been thrown open. 
Falseron beheld Orlando coming so furiously, that he 
thought him a Lucifer who had burst his chain, and 
was quite of another mind than when he purposed to 
have him all to himself. On the contrary, he recom- 
mended himself to his gods, and turned away, mean- 
ing to wait for a more auspicious season of revenge. 
But Orlando hailed him, with a terrible voice, saying, 
" O thou traitor ! was this the end to which old quar- 
rels were made up ? " Then he dashed at Falseron 
with a fury so swift, and at the same time with a 
mastery of his lance so marvellous, that, though he 
plunged it in the man's body so as instantly to kill 
him, and then withdrew it, the body did not move 
in the saddle. The hero himself, as he rushed on- 
wards, was fain to see the end of a stroke so perfect, 
and turning his horse back, touched the carcass with 
his sword, and it fell on the instant ! 

When the infidels beheld their leader dead, such 
fear fell upon them that they were for leaving the 
field to the paladins, but they were unable. Marsilius 
had drawn the rest of his forces round the valley 
like a net, so that their shoulders were turned in vain. 
Orlando rode into the thick of them, and wherever 



262 LEGENDS OF CHAELEMAGNE. 

he went thunderbolts fell upon helmets. Oliver was 
again in the fray, with Walter and Baldwin, A vino 
and Avolio, while Archbishop Turpin had changed 
his crosier for a lance, and chased a new flock before 
him to the mountains. 

Yet what could be done against foes without num- 
ber? Marsilius constantly pours them in. The pala- 
dins are as units to thousands. Why tarry the horses 
of Rinaldo and Ricciardetto? 

The horses did not tarry, but fate had been quicker 
than enchantment. Ashteroth had presented himself 
to Rinaldo in Egypt, and, after telling his errand, he 
and Foul-mouth, his servant, entered the horses of 
Rinaldo and Ricciardetto, which began to neigh, and 
snort, and leap with the fiends within them, till off 
they flew through the air over the pyramids and 
across the desert, and reached Spain and the scene 
of action just as Marsilius brought up his third army. 
The two paladins on their horses dropped right into 
the midst of the Saracens, and began making such 
havoc among them that Marsilius, who overlooked 
the .fight from a mountain, thought his soldiers had 
turned against one another. Orlando beheld it, and 
guessed it could be no other but his cousins, and 
pressed to meet them. Oliver coming up at the 
same moment, the rapture of the whole party is not 



THE BATTLE OF EONCES V ALLES. 263 

to be expressed. After a few hasty words of explana- 
tion they were forced to turn again npon the enemy, 
whose numbers seemed perfectly without limit. 

Orlando, making a bloody passage towards Marsili- 
us, struck a youth on the head, whose helmet was 
so strong as to resist the blow, but at the same time 
flew off. Orlando prepared to strike a second blow, 
when the youth exclaimed, " Hold ! you loved my 
father ; I am Bujaforte ! " The paladin had never 
seen Bujaforte, but he saw the likeness to the good 
old man, his father, and he dropped his sword. " 
Bujaforte," said he, "I loved him indeed; but what 
does his son do here fighting against his friends ? " 

Bujaforte could not at once speak for weeping. 
At length he said : "I am forced to be here by my 
lord and master, Marsilius ; and I have made a show 
of fighting, but have not hurt a single Christian. 
Treachery is on every side of you. Baldwin himself 
has a vest given him by Marsilius, that everybody may 
know the son of his friend Gan, and do him no harm." 

" Put your helmet on again," said Orlando, " and 
behave just as you have done. Never will your 
father's friend be an enemy to the son." 

The hero then turned in fury to look for Baldwin, 
who was hastening towards him, at that moment, with 
friendliness in his looks. 



264 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

" 'T is strange," said Baldwin, " I have done my 
duty as well as I could, yet nobody will come against 
me. I have slain right and left, and cannot compre- 
hend what it is that makes the stoutest infidels avoid 
me." 

" Take off your vest," said Orlando, contemptuous- 
ly, " and you will soon discover the secret, if you 
wish to know it. Your father has sold us to Mar- 
silius, all but his honorable son." 

" If my father," said Baldwin, impetuously tearing 
off the vest, "has been such a villain, and I escape 
dying, I will plunge this sword through his heart. 
But I am no traitor, Orlando, and you do me wrong 
to say it. Think not I can live with dishonor." 

Baldwin spurred off into the fight, not waiting to 
hear another word from Orlando, who was very sorry 
for what he had said, for he perceived that the youth 
was in despair. 

And now the fight raged beyond all it had done 
before; twenty pagans went down for one paladin, 
but still the paladins fell. Sansonetto was beaten to 
earth by the club of Grandonio, Walter d'Amulion 
had his shoulder broken, Berlinghieri and Ottone were 
slain, and at last Astolpho fell, in revenge of whose 
death Orlando turned the spot where he died into a 
lake of Saracen blood. The luckless Bujaforte met 



THE BATTLE OF EONCES VALLES. 265 

Rinaldo, and, before he could explain how he seemed 
to be fighting on the Saracen side, received such a 
blow upon the head that he fell, unable to utter a 
word. Orlando, cutting his way to a spot where 
there was a great struggle and uproar, found the poor 
youth Baldwin, the son of Gan, with two spears in 
his breast. " I am no traitor now," said Baldwin, 
and those were the last words he said. Orlando was 
bitterly sorry to have been the cause of his death, 
and tears streamed from his eyes. At length down 
went Oliver himself. He had become blinded with 
his own blood, and smitten Orlando without knowing 
him. " How now, cousin," cried Orlando, " have 
you too gone over to the enemy ? " " O my lord and 
master," cried the other, " I ask your pardon. I 
can see nothing ; I am dying. Some traitor has 
stabbed me in the back. If you love me, lead my 
horse into the thick of them, so that I may not die 
unavenged." 

" I shall die myself before long," said Orlando, " out 
of very toil and grief; so we will go together." 

Orlando led his cousin's horse where the press was 
thickest, and dreadful was the strength of the dying 
man and his tired companion. They made a street 
through which they passed out of the battle, and 
Orlando led his cousin away to his tent, and said, 
12 



266 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

"Wait a little till I return, for I will go and sound 
the horn on the hill yonder." 

" 'T is of no use," said Oliver, " my spirit is fast 
going, and desires to be with its Lord and Saviour." 

He would have said more, but his words came from 
him imperfectly, like those of a man in a dream, and 
so he expired. 

When Orlando saw him dead, he felt as if he was 
alone on the earth, and he was quite willing to leave 
it ; only he wished that King Charles, at the foot of 
the mountains, should know how the case stood before 
he went. So he took up the horn and blew it three 
times, with such force that the blood burst out of his 
nose and mouth. Turpin says that at the third blast 
the horn broke in two. 

In spite of all the noise of the battle, the sound 
of the horn broke over it like a voice out of the other 
world. They say that birds fell dead at it, and that 
the whole Saracen army drew back in terror. Charle- 
magne was sitting in the midst of his court when the 
sound reached him; and Gan was there. The Em- 
peror was the first to hear it. 

"Do you hear that?" said he to his nobles. "Did 
vou hear the horn as I heard it?" 

Upon this they all listened, and Gan felt his heart 
misgive him. The horn sounded a second time. 



THE BATTLE OF EONCES VALLES. 267 

" What is the meaning of this ? " said Charles. 

" Orlando is hunting," observed Gan, " and the stag 
is killed." 

But when the horn sounded yet a third time, and 
the blast was one of so dreadful a vehemence, every- 
body looked at the other, and then they all looked 
at Gan in fury. Charles rose from his seat. 

" This is no hunting of the stag," said he. " The 
sound goes to my very heart. O Gan ! O Gan ! 
Not for thee do I blush, but for myself. foul and 
monstrous villain ! Take him, gentlemen, and keep 
him in close prison. Would to God I had not lived 
to see this day ! " 

But it was no time for words. They put the 
traitor in prison, and then Charles with all his court 
took his way to Roncesvalles, grieving and praying. 

It was afternoon when the horn sounded, and half 
an hour after it when the Emperor set out; and 
meantime Orlando had returned to the fight that he 
might do his duty, however hopeless, as long as he 
could sit his horse. At length he found his end 
approaching, for toil and fever, and rode all alone to 
a fountain where he had before quenched his thirst. 
His horse was wearier than he, and no sooner had his 
master alighted than the beast, kneeling down as if 
to take leave, and to say, " I have brought you to a 



268 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

place of rest," fell dead at his feet. Orlando cast 
water on him from the fountain, not wishing to be- 
lieve him dead; but when he found it to no purpose, 
he grieved for him as if he had been a human being, 
and addressed him by name with tears, and asked 
forgiveness if he had ever done him wrong. They 
say that the horse, at these words, opened his eyes 
a little, and looked kindly at his master, and then 
stirred never more. They say also that Orlando then, 
summoning all his strength, smote a rock near him 
with his beautiful sword Durindana, thinking to shiver 
the steel in pieces, and so prevent its falling into the 
hands of the enemy ; but though the rock split like a 
slate, and a great cleft remained ever after to astonish 
the eyes of pilgrims, the sword remained uninjured. 

And now Rinaldo and Ricciardetto came up, with 
Turpin, having driven back the Saracens, and told 
Orlando that the battle was won. Then Orlando 
knelt before Turpin, and begged remission of his sins, 
and Turpin gave him absolution. Orlando fixed his 
eyes on the hilt of his sword as on a crucifix, and 
embraced it, and he raised his eyes and appeared like 
a creature seraphical and transfigured, and, bowing 
his head, he breathed out his pure soul. 

And now King Charles and his nobles came up. 
The Emperor, at sight of the dead Orlando, threw 



THE BATTLE OF RONCESVALLES. 269 

himself, as if he had been a reckless youth, from his 
horse, and embraced and kissed the body, and said: 
" I bless thee, Orlando ; I bless thy whole life, and all 
that thou wast, and all that thou ever didst, and the 
father that begat thee; and I ask pardon of thee for 
believing those who brought thee to thine end. They 
shall have their reward, O thou beloved one ! But 
indeed it is thou that livest, and I who am worse than 
dead." 

Horrible to the Emperor's eyes was the sight of 
the field of Roncesvalles. The Saracens indeed had 
fled, conquered ; but all his paladins but two were 
left on it dead, and the whole valley looked like a 
great slaughter-house, trampled into blood and dirt, 
and reeking to the heat. Charles trembled to his 
heart's core for wonder and agony. After gazing 
dumbly on the place, he cursed it with a solemn curse, 
and wished that never grass might grow in it again, 
nor seed of any kind, neither within it nor on any of 
its mountains around, but the anger of Heaven abide 
over it forever. 

Charles and his warriors went after the Saracens 
into Spain. They took and fired Saragossa, and 
Marsilius was hung to the carob-tree under which he 
had planned his villany with Gan ; and Gan was 
hung and drawn and quartered in Roncesvalles, amidst 
the execrations of the country. 




RINALDO AND BAYARD. 



CHARLEMAGNE was overwhelmed with grief 
at the loss of so many of his bravest warriors 
at the disaster of Roncesvalles, and bitterly reproached 
himself for his credulity in resigning himself so com- 
pletely to the counsels of the treacherous Count Gan. 
Yet he soon fell into a similar snare when he suf- 
fered his unworthy son Chariot to acquire such an 
influence over him, that he constantly led him into 
acts of cruelty and injustice that in his right mind 
he would have scorned to commit. Rinaldo and his 
brothers, for some slight offence to the imperious 
young prince, were forced to fly from Paris, and to 



RINALDO AND BAYAKD. 271 

take shelter in their castle of Montalban ; for Charles 
had publicly said, if he could take them, he would 
hang them all. He sent numbers of his bravest 
knights to arrest them, but all without success. 
Either Rinaldo foiled their efforts and sent them 
back, stripped of their armor and of their glory, or, 

after meeting and conferring with him, they came 

*• 
back and told the king they could not be his instru- 
ments for such a work. 

At last Charles himself raised a great army, and 
went in person to compel the paladin to submit. He 
ravaged all the country round about Montalban, so 
that supplies of food should be cut off, and he 
threatened death to any who should attempt to issue 
forth, hoping to compel the garrison to submit for 
want of food. 

Rinaldo's resources had been brought so low that 
it seemed useless to contend any longer. His 
brothers had been taken prisoners in a skirmish, and 
his only hope of saving their lives was in making 
terms with the king. 

So he sent a messenger, offering to yield himself 
and his castle if the king would spare his and his 
brothers' lives. While the messenger was gone, Ri- 
naldo, impatient to learn what tidings he might bring, 
rode out to meet him. When he had ridden as far 



272 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

as he thought prudent he stopped in a wood, and, 
alighting, tied Bayard to a tree. Then he sat down, 
and, as he waited, he fell asleep. Bayard meanwhile 
got loose, and strayed away where the grass tempted 
him. Just then came along some country people, 
who said to one another, " Look, is not that the great 
horse Bayard that Rinaldo rides? Let us take him, 
and carry him to King Charles, who will pay us well 
for our trouble." They did so, and the king was 
delighted with his prize, and gave them a present that 
made them rich to their dying day. 

When Rinaldo woke he looked round for his horse, 
and, finding him not, he groaned, and said, " O un- 
lucky hour that I was born ! how fortune persecutes 
me ! " So desperate was he, that he took off his 
armor and his spurs, saying, " What need have I of 
these, since Bayard is lost ? " While he stood thus 
lamenting, a man came from the thicket, seemingly 
bent with age. He had a long beard hanging over 
his breast, and eyebrows that almost covered his eyes. 
He bade Rinaldo good day. Rinaldo thanked him, 
and said, " A good day I have hardly had since I was 
born." Then said the old man, " Signor Rinaldo, 
you must not despair, for God will make all things 
turn to the best." Rinaldo answered, "My trouble 
is too heavy for me to hope relief. The king has 



RINALDO AND BAYARD. 273 

taken my brothers, and means to put them to death. 
I thought to rescue them by means of my horse Bay- 
ard, but while I slept some thief has stolen him." 
The old man replied, " I will remember you and your 
brothers in my prayers. I am a poor man, have you 
not something to give me ? " Rinaldo said, " I have 
nothing to give," but then he recollected his spurs. 
He gave them to tho beggar, and said, " Here, take 
my spurs. They are the first present my mother 
gave me when my father, Count Aymon, dubbed me 
knight. They ought to bring you ten pounds." 

The old man took the spurs, and put them into his 
sack, and said, " Noble sir, have you nothing else you 
can give me ? " Rinaldo replied, " Are you making 
sport of me ? I tell you truly if it were not for 
shame to beat one so helpless, I would teach you 
better manners." The old man said, "Of a truth, 
sir, if you did so, you would do a great sin. If all 
had beaten me of whom I have begged, I should have 
been killed long ago, for I ask alms in churches and 
convents, and wherever I can." " You say true," 
replied Rinaldo, " if you did not ask, none would 
relieve you." The old man said, " True, noble sir, 
therefore I pray if you have anything more to spare, 
give it me." Rinaldo gave him his mantle, and said, 
"Take it, pilgrim. I give it you for the love of 

12* B 



274 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

Christ, that God would save my brothers from a 
shameful death, and help me to escape out of King 
Charles's power." 

The pilgrim took the mantle, folded it up, and put 
it into his bag. Then a third time he said to Ri- 
naldo, " Sir, have you nothing left to give me that 
I may remember you in my prayers ? " " Wretch ! " 
exclaimed Rinaldo, "do you make me your sport?" 
and he drew his sword, and struck at him ; but the 
old man warded off the blow with his staff, and said, 
" Rinaldo, would you slay your cousin, Malagigi ? " 
When Rinaldo heard that he stayed his hand, and 
gazed doubtingly on the old man, who now threw 
aside his disguise, and appeared to be indeed Malagigi. 
" Dear cousin," said Rinaldo, " pray forgive me. I 
did not know you. Next to God, my trust is in you. 
Help my brothers to escape out of prison, I entreat 
you. I have lost my horse, and therefore cannot 
render -them any assistance." Malagigi answered, 
" Cousin Rinaldo, I will enable you to recover your 
horse. Meanwhile, you must do as I say." 

Then Malagigi took from his sack a gown, and 
gave it to Rinaldo to put on over his armor, and a 
hat that was full of holes, and an old pair of shoes to 
put on. They looked like two pilgrims, very old and 
poor. Then they went forth from the wood, and. 



RINALDO AND BAYARD. 275 

after a little while, saw four monks riding along the 
road. Malagigi said to Rinaldo, u I will go meet the 
monks, and see what news I can learn." 

Malagigi learned from the monks that on the ap- 
proaching festival there would be a great crowd of 
people at court, for the prince was going to show the 
ladies the famous horse Bayard that used to belong to 
Rinaldo. " What ! " said the pilgrim ; " is Bayard 
there ? " " Yes," answered the monks ; " the king 
has given him to Chariot, and, after the prince has 
ridden him, the king means to pass sentence on the 
brothers of Rinaldo, and have them hanged." Then 
Malagigi asked alms of the monks, but they would 
give him none, till he threw aside his pilgrim garb, 
and let them see his armor, when, partly for charity 
and partly for terror, they gave him a golden cup, 
adorned with precious stones that sparkled in the sun- 
shine. 

Malagigi then hastened back to Rinaldo, and told 
him what he had learned. 

The morning of the feast-day Rinaldo and Malagigi 
cam* to the place where the sports were to be held. 
Malagigi gave Rinaldo his spurs back again, and said, 
" Cousin, put on your spurs, for you will need them."' 
" How shall I need them," said Rinaldo, " since I 
have lost my horse ? " Yet he did as Malagigi di- 
rected him. 



276 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

When the two had taken their stand on the border 
of the field among the crowd, the princes and ladies 
of the court began to assemble. When they were all 
assembled, the king came also, and Chariot with him, 
near whom the horse Bayard was led, in the charge 
of grooms, who were expressly enjoined to guard him 
safely. The king, looking round on the circle of 
spectators, saw Malagigi and Rinaldo, and observed 
the splendid cup that they had, and said to Chariot, 
" See, my son, what a brilliant cup those two pilgrims 
have got. It seems to be worth a hundred ducats." 
" That is true," said Chariot ; "let us go and ask 
where they got it." So they rode to the place where 
the pilgrims stood, and Chariot stopped Bayarcf close 
to them. 

The horse snuffed at the pilgrims, knew Rinaldo, 
and caressed his master. The king said to Malagigi, 
" Friend, where did you get that beautiful cup ? " 
Malagigi replied, " Honorable sir, I paid for it all the 
money I have saved from eleven years* begging in 
churches and convents. The Pope himself has blessed 
it, and given it the power that whosoever eats or 
drinks out of it shall be pardoned of all his sins." 
'Then said the king to Chariot, " My son, these are 
right holy men ; see how the dumb beast worships 
them." 



RINALDO AND BAYAED. 277 

Then the king said to Malagigi, " Give me a mor- 
sel from your cup, that I may be cleared of my 
sins." Malagigi answered, " Illustrious lord, I dare 
not do it, unless you will forgive all who have at 
any time offended you. You know that Christ for- 
gave all those who had betrayed and crucified him." 
The king replied, ." Friend, that is true ; but Rinaldo 
has so grievously offended me, that I cannot forgive 
him, nor that other man, Malagigi, the magician. 
These two shall never live in my kingdom again. 
If I catch them, I will certainly have them hanged. 
But tell me, pilgrim, who is that man who stands 
beside you ? " " He is deaf, dumb, and blind," said 
Malagigi. Then the king said again, " Give me to 
drink of your cup, to take away my. sins." Malagigi 
answered, " My lord king, here, is my poor brother, 
who for fifty days has not heard, spoken, nor seen. 
This misfortune befell him in a house where we 
found shelter, and the day before yesterday we met 
with a wise woman, who told him the only hope of 
a cure for him was to come to some place where 
Bayard was to be ridden, and to mount and ride 
him ; that would do him more good than anything 
else." Then said the king, " Friend, you have come 
to the right place, for Bayard is to be ridden here 
to-day. Give me a draught from your cup, and your 



278 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

companion shall ride upon Bayard." Malagigi, hear- 
ing these words, said, " Be it so." Then the king, 
with great devotion, took a spoon, and dipped a por- 
tion from the pilgrim's cup, believing that his sins 
should be thereby forgiven. 

When this was done, the king said to Chariot, 
" Son, I request that you will let this sick pilgrim 
sit on your horse, and ride if he can, for by so doing 
he will be healed of all his infirmities." Chariot 
replied, " That will I gladly do." So saying, he dis- 
mounted, and the servants took the pilgrim in their 
arms, and helped him on the horse. 

When Binaldo was mounted, he put his feet in 
the stirrups, and said, " I would like to ride a 
little." Malagigi, hearing him speak, seemed de- 
lighted, and asked him whether he could see and 
hear also. " Yes," said Binaldo, " I am healed of all 
my infirmities." When the king heard it, he said 
to Bishop Turpin, " My lord bishop, we must cele- 
brate this with a procession, with crosses and ban- 
ners, for it is a great miracle." 

When Binaldo remarked that he was not carefully 
watched, he spoke to the horse, and touched him 
with the spurs. Bayard knew that his master was 
upon him, and he started off upon a rapid pace, 
and in a few moments was a good way off. Malagigi 



RINALDO AND BAYAED. 279 

pretended to be in great alarm. " O noble king and 
master," be cried, " my poor companion is ran away 
with ; he will fall and break his neck." The king 
ordered his knights to ride after the pilgrim, and 
bring him back, or help him if need were. They 
did so, bnt it was in vain. Rinaldo left them all 
behind him, and kept on his way till he reached 
Montalban. Malagigi was suffered to depart, unsus- 
pected, and he went his way, making sad lamenta- 
tion for the fate of his comrade, who he pretended 
to think must surely be dashed to pieces. 

Malagigi did not gp far, but, having changed his 
disguise, returned to where the king was, and em- 
ployed his best art in getting the brothers of Rinaldo 
out of prison. He succeeded ; and all three got 
safely to Montalban, where Rinaldo's joy at the res- 
cue of his brothers and the recovery of Bayard was 
more than tongue can tell. 




DEATH OF RINALDO. 



THE distress in Rinaldo's castle for want of food 
grew more severe every day, under the pres- 
sure of the siege. The garrison were forced to kill 
their horses, both to save the provision they would 
consume, and to make food of their flesh. At last, 
all the horses were killed except Bayard, and Rinaldo 
said to his brothers, " Bayard must die, for we have 
nothing else to eat." So they went to the stable and 
brought out Bayard to kill him. But Alardo said, 
" Brother, let Bayard live a little longer ; who knows 
what God may do for us." 

Bayard heard these words, and understood them as 



DEATH OF RINALDO. 281 

if he was a man, and fell on his knees, as if he would 
beg for mercy. When Rinaldo saw the distress of 
his horse his heart failed him, and he let him live. 

Just at this time, Aya, Rinaldo's mother, who was 
the sister of the Emperor, came to the camp, attended 
by knights and ladies, to intercede for her sons. She 
fell on her knees before the king, and besought him 
that he would pardon Rinaldo and his brothers ; and 
all the peers and knights took her side, and entreated 
the king to grant her prayer. Then said the king, 
" Dear sister, you act the part of a good mother, and 
I respect your tender heart, and yield to your en- 
treaties. I will spare your sons their lives, if they 
submit implicitly to my will." 

When Chariot heard this, he approached the king 
and whispered in his ear. And the king turned to 
his sister and said, " Chariot must have Bayard, be- 
cause I have given the horse to him. Now go, my 
sister, and tell Rinaldo what I have said." 

When the Lady Aya heard these words, she was 
delighted, thanked God in her heart, and said, "Wor- 
thy king and brother, I will do as you bid me." So 
she went into the castle, where her sons received her 
most joyfully and affectionately, and she told them the 
king's offer. Then Alardo said, " Brother, I would 
rather have the king's enmity than give Bayard to 



282 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

Chariot, for I believe he will kill him." Likewise 
said all the brothers. When Rinaldo heard them, he 
said, " Dear brothers, if we may win our forgiveness 
by giving up the horse, so be it. Let us make our 
peace, for we cannot stand against the king's power." 
Then he went to his mother, and told her they would 
give the horse to Chariot, and more, too, if the king 
would pardon them, and forgive all that they had done 
against his crown and dignity. The lady returned to 
Charles and told him the answer of her sons. 

When the peace was thus made between the king 
and the sons of Aymon, the brothers came forth from 
the castle, bringing Bayard with them, and, falling at 
the king's feet, begged his forgiveness. The king bade 
them rise, and received them into favor in the sight 
of all his noble knights and counsellors, to the great 
joy of all, especially of the Lady Aya, their mother. 
Then Rinaldo took the horse Bayard, gave him to 
Chariot, and said, " My lord and prince, this horse I 
give to you ; do with him as to you seems good." 
Chariot took him, as had been agreed on. Then he 
made the servants take him to the bridge, and throw 
him into the water. Bayard sank to the bottom, but 
soon came to the surface again and swam, saw Ri- 
naldo looking at' him, came to land, ran to his old 
master, and stood by him as proudly as if he had 



DEATH OF KINALDO. 283 

understanding, and would say, " Why did you treat 
me so ? " When the prince saw that, he said, 
" Rinaldo, give me the horse again, for he must 
die." Rinaldo replied, " My lord and prince, he is 
yours without dispute," and gave him to him. The 
prince then had a millstone tied to each foot, and 
two to his neck, and made them throw him ao-ain 
into the water. Bayard struggled in the water, 
looked up to his master, threw off the stones, and 
came back to Rinaldo. 

When Alar do saw that, he said, " Now must thou 
be disgraced forever, brother, if thou give up the horse 
again." But Rinaldo answered, " Brother, be still. 
Shall I for the horse's life provoke the anger of the 
king again ? " Then Alardo said, " Ah, Bayard ! what 
a return do we make for all thy true love and 
service ! " Rinaldo gave the horse to the prince again, 
and said, " My lord, if the horse comes out again j I 
cannot return him to you any more, for it wrings 
my heart too much." Then Chariot had Bayard 
loaded with the stones as before, and thrown into the 
water; and commanded Rinaldo that he should not 
stand where the horse would see him. When Bayard 
rose to the surface he stretched his neck out of 
the water and looked round for his master, but saw 
him not. Then he sunk to the bottom. 



284 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

Kinaldo was so distressed for the loss of Bayard, 
that he made a vow to ride no horse again all his 
life long, nor to bind a sword to his side, but to 
become a hermit. He resolved to betake himself to 
some wild wood, but first to return to his castle, 
to see his children, and to appoint to each his 
share of his estate. 

So he took leave of the king and of his brothers, 
and returned to Montalban, and his brothers re- 
mained with the king. Rinaldo called his children 
to him, and he made his eldest born, Aymeric, a 
knight, and made him lord of his castle and of his 
land. He gave to the rest what other goods he 
had, and kissed and embraced them all, commended 
them to God, and then departed from them with a 
heavy heart. 

He had not travelled far when he entered a wood, 
and there met with a hermit, who had long been 
retired from the world. Rinaldo greeted him, and 
the hermit replied courteously, and asked him who 
he was and what was his purpose. Rinaldo replied, 
" Sir, I have led a sinful life ; many deeds of vio- 
lence have I done, and many men have I .slain, not 
always in a good cause, but often under the im- 
pulse of my own headstrong passions. I have also 
been the cause of the death of many of my friends, 



DEATH OF RINALDO. 285 

who took my part, not because they thought me in 
the right, but only for love of me. And now I 
come to make confession of all my sins, and to do 
penance for the rest of my life, if perhaps the mercy 
of God will forgive me." The hermit said, " Friend, 
I perceive you have fallen into great sins, and have 
broken the commandments of God, but his mercy is 
greater than your sins ; and if you repent from your 
heart, and lead a new life, there is yet hope for 
you that he will forgive you what is past." So 
Rinaldo was comforted, and said, " Master, I will stay 
with you, and what you bid me I will do." The 
hermit replied, " Roots and vegetables will be your 
food ; shirt or shoes you may not wear ; your lot 
must be poverty and want, if you stay with me." 
Rinaldo replied, " I will cheerfully bear all this, and 
more." So he remained three whole years with the 
hermit, and after that his strength failed, and it 
seemed as if he was like to die. 

One night the hermit had a dream, and heard a 
voice from heaven, which commanded him to say 
to his companion that he must without delay go 
to the Holy Land, and fight against the heathen. 
The hermit, when he heard that voice, was glad, 
and, calling Rinaldo, he said, " Friend, God's angel 
has commanded me to say to you that you must with- 



286 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

out delay go to Jerusalem, and help our fellow- 
Christians in their struggle with the Infidels." Then 
said Rinaldo, "Ah! master, how can I do that? It 
is over three years since I made a vow no more to ride 
a horse, nor take a sword or spear in my hand." The 
hermit answered, " Dear friend, obey God, and do 
what the angel commanded." " I will do so," said 
Rinaldo, " and pray for me, my master, that God may 
guide me right." Then he departed, and went to the 
seaside, and took ship and came to Tripoli in Syria. 
And as he went on his way his strength returned 
to him, till it was equal to what it was in his best 
days. And though he never mounted a horse, nor 
took a sword in his hand, yet with his pilgrim's staff 
he did good service in the armies of the Christians ; 
and it pleased God that he escaped unhurt, though he 
was present in many battles, and his courage inspired 
the men with the same. At last a truce, was made 
with the Saracens, and Rinaldo, now old and infirm, 
wishing to see his native land again before he died, 
took ship and sailed for France. When he arrived, 
he shunned to go to the resorts of the great, and pre- 
ferred to live among the humble folk, where he was 
unknown. He did country work and lived on milk 
and bread, drank water, and was therewith content. 
While he so lived, he heard that the city of Cologne 



DEATH OF RINALDO. 287 

was the holiest and best of cities, on account of the 
relics and bodies of saints who had there poured out 
their blood for the faith. This induced him to betake 
himself thither. When the pious hero arrived at 
Cologne, he went to the monastery of St. Peter, and 
lived a holy life, occupied night and day in devotion. 
It so happened that at that time, in the next town to 
Cologne, there raged a dreadful pestilence. Many 
people came to Rinaldo, to beg him to pray for them, 
that the plague might be stayed. The holy man 
prayed fervently, and besought the Lord to take away 
the plague from the people, and his prayer was heard. 
The stroke of the pestilence was arrested, and all the 
people thanked the holy man and praised God. 

Now there was at this time at Cologne a Bishop, 
called Agilolphus, who was a wise and understanding 
man, who led a pure and secluded life, and set a good 
example to others. This Bishop undertook to build 
the Church of St. Peter, and gave notice to all stone- 
masons and other workmen round about to come to 
Cologne, where they should find work and wages. 
Among others came Rinaldo ; and he worked among 
the laborers and did more than four or five common 
workmen. When they went to dinner, he brought 
stone and mortar so that they had enough for the 
whole day. Wben the others went to bed, he stretched 



288 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

himself out on the stones. He ate bread only, and 
drank nothing but water ; and had for his wages but 
a penny a day. The head-workman asked him his 
name, and where he belonged. He would not tell, 
but said nothing and pursued his work. They called 
him St. Peter's workman, because he was so devoted 
to his work. 

When the overseer saw the diligence of this holy 
man, he chid the laziness of the other workmen, and 
said, " You receive more pay than this good man, but 
do not do half as much work." For this reason the 
other workmen hated Rinaldo, and made a secret 
agreement to kill him. They knew that he made it a 
practice to go every night to a certain church to pray 
and give alms. So they agreed to lay wait for him 
with the purpose to kill him. When he came to 
the spot, they seized him, and beat him over the 
head till he was dead. Then they put his body into 
a sack, and stones with it, and cast it into the 
Rhine, in the hope the sack would sink to the 
bottom, and be there concealed. But God willed not 
that it should be so, but caused the sack to float on 
the surface, and be thrown upon the bank. And the 
soul of the holy martyr was carried by angels, with 
songs of praise, up to the heavens. 

Now at that time the people of Dortmund had 



DEATH OF EINALDO. 289 

become converted to the Christian faith; and they 
sent to the Bishop of Cologne, and desired him to 
give them some of the holy relics that are in such 
abundance in that city. So the Bishop called together 
his clergy to deliberate what answer they should give 
to this request. And it was determined to give to the 
people of Dortmund the body of the holy man who 
had just suffered martyrdom. 

When now the body with the coffin was put on the 
cart, the cart began to move toward Dortmund without 
horses or help of men, and stopped not till it reached 
the place where the church of St. Rinaldo now stands. 
The Bishop and his clergy followed the holy man to 
do him honor, with singing of hymns, for a space of 
three miles. And St. Rinaldo has ever since been 
the patron of that place, and many wonderful works 
has God done through him, as may be seen in the 
legends. 



is 




HUON OF BORDEAUX. 



WHEN Charlemagne grew old he felt the bur- 
den of government become heavier year by 
year, till at last he called together his high barons 
and peers to propose to abdicate the empire and the 
throne of France in favor of his sons, Chariot and 
Lewis. 

The Emperor was unreasonably partial to his eldest 
son ; he would have been glad to have had the barons 
and peers demand Chariot for their only sovereign ; 
but that prince was so infamous, for his falsehood and 
cruelty, that the council strenuously opposed the Em- 
peror's proposal of abdicating, and implored him to 






HUON OF BOKDEAUX. 291 

continue to hold a sceptre which he wielded with so 
much glory. 

Amaury of Hauteville, cousin of Ganelon, and now 
head of the wicked branch of the house of Maganza, 
was the secret partisan of Chariot, whom he resem- 
bled in his loose morals and bad dispositions. Amau- 
ry nourished the most bitter resentment against the 
house of Guienne, of which the former Duke, Sevinus, 
had often rebuked his misdeeds. He took advantage 
of this occasion to do an injury to the two young 
children whom the Duke Sevinus had left under the 
charge of the Duchess Alice, their mother ; and, at the 
same time, to advance his interest with Chariot by 
increasing his wealth and power. "With this view, 
he suggested to the prince a new idea. 

He pretended to agree with the opinion of the 
barons ; he said that it would be best to try Chariot's 
capacity for government, by giving him some rich 
provinces, before placing him upon the throne ; and 
that the Emperor, without depriving himself of any 
part of his realm, might give Chariot the investiture 
of Guienne. For although seven years had passed 
since the death of Sevinus, the young Duke, his son, 
had not yet repaired to the court of Charlemagne to 
render the homage due to his lawful sovereign. 

We have often had occasion to admire the justice 



292 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

and wisdom of the advice which on all occasions the 
Duke Namo of Bavaria gave to Charlemagne, and he 
now discountenanced, with indignation, the selfish ad- 
vice of Amaury. He represented to the Emperor 
the early age of the children of Sevinus, and the use- 
ful and glorious services of their late father, and pro- 
posed to Charlemagne to send two knights to the 
Duchess, at Bordeaux, to summon her two sons to 
the court of the Emperor, to pay their respects and 
render homage. 

Charlemagne approved this advice, and sent two 
chevaliers to demand the two young princes of their 
mother. No sooner had the Duchess learned the ap- 
proach of the two knights, than she sent distinguished 
persons to receive them ; and as soon as they entered 
the palace she presented herself before them, with her 
elder and younger sons, Huon and Girard. 

The deputies, delighted with the honors and ca- 
resses they received, accompanied with rich presents, 
left Bordeaux with regret, and, on their return, rep- 
resented to Charlemagne that the young Duke Huon 
seemed born to tread in the footsteps of his brave 
father, informing him that in three months the young 
princes of Guienne would present themselves at his 
court. 

The Duchess employed the short interval in giving 



HUON OF BORDEAUX. 29o 

her sons her last instructions. Huon received them in 
his heart, and Girard gave as much heed to them as 
could be expected from one so young. 

The preparations for their departure having been 
made, the Duchess embraced them tenderly, commend- 
ing them to the care of Heaven, and charged them to 
call, on their way, at the celebrated monastery of 
Cluny, to visit the Abbot, the brother of their father. 
This Abbot, worthy of his high dignity, had never 
lost an opportunity of doing good, setting an example 
of every excellence, and making virtue attractive by 
his example. 

He received his nephews with the greatest magnifi- 
cence ; and, aware how useful his presence might be 
to them with Charlemagne, whose valued counsellor 
he was, he took with them the road to Paris. 

"When Amaury learned what reception the two dep- 
uties of Charlemagne had received at Bordeaux, and 
the arrangements made for the visit of the young 
princes to the Emperor's court, he suggested to Chariot 
to give him a troop of his guards, with which he pro- 
posed to lay wait for the young men in the wood of 
Montlery, put them to death, and thereby give the 
prince Chariot possession of the duchy of Guienne. 

A plan of treachery and violence agreed but too 
well with Chariot's disposition. He not only adopted 



294 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

the suggestion of Amaury, but insisted upon taking a 
part in it. They went out secretly, by night, followed 
by a great number of attendants, all armed in black, 
to lie in ambuscade in the wood where the brothers 
were to pass. 

Girard, the younger of the two, having amused 
himself as he rode by flying his hawk at such game 
as presented itself, had ridden in advance of his broth- 
er and the Abbot of Cluny. Chariot, who saw him 
coming, alone and unarmed, went forth to meet him, 
sought a quarrel with him, and threw him from his 
horse with a stroke of his lance. Girard uttered a 
cry as he fell ; Huon heard it, and flew to his de- 
fence, with no other weapon than his sword. He 
came up with him, and saw the blood flowing from 
his wound. " What has this child done to yoa, 
wretch ? " he exclaimed to Chariot. " How cow- 
ardly to attack him when unprepared to defend 
himself ! " " By my faith," said Chariot, " I 
mean to do the same by you. Know that I am 
the son of Duke Thierry of Ardennes, from whom 
your father, Sevinus, took three castles ; I have 
sworn to avenge him, and I defy you." " Coward," 
answered Huon, " I know well the baseness that 
dwells in your race ; worthy son of Thierry, use 
the advantage that your armor gives you ; but 



HUON OF BOKDEAUX. 295 

know that I fear you not." At these words Chariot 
had the wickedness to put his lance in rest, and to 
run upon Huon, who had barely time to wrap his 
arm in his mantle. With this feeble buckler he re- 
ceived the thrust of the lance. It penetrated the 
mantle, but missed his body. Then, rising upon his 
stirrups, Sir Huon struck Chariot so terrible a blow 
with his sword that the helmet was cleft asunder, 
and his head too. The dastardly prince fell dead 
upon the ground. 

Huon now perceived that the wood was full of 
armed men. He called the men of his suite, and they 
hastily put themselves in order, but nobody issued 
from the wood to attack him. Amaury, who saw 
Chariot's fall, had no desire to compromit himself; 
and, feeling sure that Charlemagne would avenge the 
death of his son, he saw no occasion for his doing 
anything more at present. He left Huon and the 
Abbot of Cluny to bind up the wound of Girard, 
and, having seen them depart and resume their way 
to Paris, he took up the body of Chariot, and, 
placing it across a horse, had it carried to Paris, 
where he arrived four hours after Huon. 

The Abbot of Cluny presented his nephew to 
Charlemagne, but Huon refrained from paying his 
obeisance, complaining grievously of the ambush which 



296 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

had been set for him, which he said could not have 
been without the Emperor's permission. Charle- 
magne, surprised at a charge which his magnanimous 
soul was incapable of meriting, asked eagerly of the 
Abbot what were the grounds of the complaints of his 
nephew. The Abbot told him faithfully all that had 
happened, informing him that a coward knight, who 
called himself the son of Thierry of Ardennes, had 
wounded Girard, and run upon Huon, who was un- 
armed; but by his force and valor he had overcome 
the traitor, and left him dead upon the plain. 

Charlemagne indignantly disavowed any connection 
with the action of the infamous Thierry, congratulated 
the young Duke upon his victory, himself conducted 
the two brothers to a rich apartment, stayed to 
see the first dressing applied to the wound of Girard, 
and left the brothers in charge of Duke Namo of 
Bavaria, who, having been a companion in arms of 
the Duke Sevinus, regarded the young men almost 
as if they were his own sons. 

Charlemagne had hardly quitted them when, re- 
turning to his chamber, he heard cries, and saw 
through the window a party of armed men just 
arrived. He recognized Amaury, who bore a dead 
knight stretched across a horse ; and the name of 
Chariot was heard among the exclamations of the 
people assembled in the court-yard. 



HUON OF BORDEAUX. 297 

Charles's partiality for this unworthy son was one 
of his weaknesses. He descended in trepidation to 
the court-yard, ran to Amaury, and uttered a cry of 
grief on recognizing Chariot. "It is Huon of Bor- 
deaux," said the traitor Amaury, " who has massa- 
cred your son before it was in my power to defend 
him." Charlemagne, furious at these words, seized 
a sword, and flew to the apartment of the two 
brothers to plunge it into the heart of the murderer 
of his son. Duke Namo stopped his hand for an 
instant, while Charles told him the crime of which 
Huon was accused. " He is a peer of the realm," 
said Namo, " and if he is guilty, is he not here in 
your power, and are not we peers the proper judges 
to condemn him to death ? Let not your hand be 
stained with his blood." The Emperor, calmed by 
the wisdom of Duke Namo, summoned Amaury to his 
presence. The peers assembled to hear his testimony, 
and the traitor accused Huon of Bordeaux of having 
struck the fatal blow, without allowing Chariot an 
opportunity to defend himself, and though he knew 
that his opponent was the Emperor's eldest son. 

The Abbot of Cluny, indignant at the false accusa- 
tion of Amaury, advanced, and said, " By Saint Bene- 
dict, sire, the traitor lies in his throat. If my nephew 
has slain Chariot, it was in his own defence, and 

13* 



298 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

after having seen his brother wounded by him, and 
also in ignorance that his adversary was the prince. 
Though I am a son of the Church," added the good 
Abbot, "I forget not that I am a knight by birth. I 
offer to prove with my body the lie upon Amaury, if 
he dares sustain it, and I shall feel that I am doing 
a better work to punish a disloyal traitor, than to sing 
lauds and matins." 

Huon to this time had kept silent, amazed at the 
black calumny of Amaury; but now he stepped 
forth, and, addressing Amaury, said : " Traitor ! darest 
thou maintain in arms the lie thou hast uttered ? " 
Amaury, a knight of great prowess, despising the 
youth and slight figure of Huon, hesitated not to 
offer his glove, which Huon seized ; then, turning 
again to the peers, he said : "I pray you let the 
combat be allowed me, for never was there a more 
legitimate cause." The Duke Namo and the rest, 
deciding that the question should be remitted to the 
judgment of Heaven, the combat was ordained, to 
which Charlemagne unwillingly consented. The young 
Duke was restored to the charge of Duke Namo, who 
the next morning invested him with the honors of 
knighthood, and gave him armor of proof, with a 
white shield. The Abbot of Cluny, delighted to find 
in his nephew sentiments worthy of his birth, em 



HUON OF BOEDEAUX. 299 

braced him, gave him his blessing, and hastened to 
the church of St. Germains to pray for him, while 
the officers of the king prepared the lists for the 
combat. 

The battle was loner and obstinate. The address 

o 

and agility of Huon enabled him to avoid the terrible 
blows which the ferocious Amaury aimed at him. But 
Huon had more than once drawn blood from his 
antagonist. The effect began to be perceived in the 
failing strength of the traitor; at last he threw him- 
self from his horse, and, kneeling, begged for mercy. 
" Spare me," he said, " and I will confess all. Aid 
me to rise and lead me to Charlemagne." The brave 
and loyal Huon, at these words, put his sword under 
his left arm, and stretched out his right to raise the 
prostrate man, who seized the opportunity to give him 
a thrust in the side. The hauberk of Huon resisted 
the blow, and he was wounded but slightly. Trans- 
ported with rage at this act of baseness, he forgot how 
necessary for his complete acquittal the confession of 
Amaury was, and without delay dealt him the fatal 
blow. 

Duke Namo and the other peers approached, had 
the body of Amaury dragged forth from the lists, and 
conducted Huon to Charlemagne. The Emperor, how- 
ever, listening to nothing but his resentment and grief 



300 LEGENDS OF CHAELEMAGNE. 

for the death of his son, refused to be satisfied; and 
under the plea that Huon had not succeeded in 
making his accuser retract his charge, seemed resolved 
to confiscate his estates and to banish him forever 
from France. It was not till after long entreaties 
on the part of Duke Namo and the rest, that he con- 
sented to grant Huon his pardon, under conditions 
which he should impose. 

Huon approached, ,and knelt before the Emperor, 
rendered him homage, and cried him mercy for the 
involuntary killing of his son. Charlemagne would 
not receive the hands of Huon in his own, but 
touched him with his sceptre, saying, " I receive 
thy homage, and pardon thee the death of my son, 
but only on one condition. You shall go imme- 
diately to the court of the Sultan Gaudisso ; you 
shall present yourself before him as he sits at meat; 
you shall cut off the head of the most illustrious 
guest whom you shall find sitting nearest to him ; 
you shall kiss three times on the mouth the fair 
princess his daughter, and you shall demand of the 
sultan, as token of tribute to me, a handful of the 
white hair of his beard, and four grinders from his 
mouth." 

These conditions caused a murmur from all the 
assembly. " What ! " said the Abbot of Cluny ; 



HUON OF BOEDEAUX. 301 

" slaughter a Saracen prince without first offering 
him baptism ? " " The second condition is not so 
hard," said the young peers, " but the demand that 
Huon is bound to make of the old Sultan is very- 
uncivil, and will be hard to obtain." 

The Emperor's obstinacy when he had once re- 
solved upon a tiling is well known. To the courage 
of Huon nothing seemed impossible. "I accept the 
conditions," said he, silencing the intercessions of the 
old Duke of Bavaria ; " my liege, I accept my par- 
don at this price. I go to execute your commands, 
as your vassal and a peer of France." 

The Duke Namo and the Abbot of Cluny, being 
unable to obtain any relaxation of the sentence 
passed by Charlemagne, led forth the young Duke, 
who determined to set out at once on his expedi- 
tion. All that the good Abbot could obtain of him 
was, that he should prepare for this perilous under- 
taking by going first to Rome, to pay his homage 
to the Pope, who was the brother of the Duchess 
Alice, Huon's mother, and from him demand abso- 
lution and his blessing. Huon promised it, and 
forthwith set out on his way to Rome. 




HUON OF BORDEAUX. 



Continued. 



HUON, having traversed the Apennines and 
Italy, arrived at the environs of Rome, where, 
laving aside his armor, he assumed the dress of a 
pilgrim. In this attire he presented himself before the 
Pope, and not till after he had made a full confession 
of his sins did he announce himself as his nephew. 
" Ah ! my dear nephew," exclaimed the Holy Father, 
" what harder penance could I impose than the Em- 
peror has already done? Go in peace, my son," he 
added, absolving him, "I go to intercede for you with 
the Most High." Then he led his nephew into his 



HUO>J OF BORDEAUX. 303 

palace, and introduced him to all the Cardinals and 
Princes of Rome as the Duke of Guienne, son of the 
Duchess Alice, his sister. 

Huon, at setting out, had made a vow not to stop 
more than three days in a place. The Holy Father 
took advantage of this time to inspire him with zeal 
for the glory of Christianity, and with confidence in 
the protection of the Most High. He advised him 
to embark for Palestine, to visit the Holy Sepulchre, 
and to depart thence for the interior of Asia. 

Loaded with the blessings of the Holy Father, 
Huon, obeying his counsels, embarked for Palestine, 
arrived, and visited with the greatest reverence the 
holy places. He then departed, and took his way 
toward the east. But, ignorant of the country and 
of the language, he lost himself in a forest, and re- 
mained three days without seeing a human creature, 
living on honey and wild fruits which he found on 
the trees. The third day, seeking a passage through 
a rocky defile, he beheld a man in tattered clothing, 
whose beard and hair covered his breast and shoulders. 
This man stopped on seeing him, observed him, and 
recognized the arms and bearing of a French knight. 
He immediately approached, and exclaimed, in the 
language of the South of France, " God be praised ! 
Do I indeed behold a chevalier of my own country, 



304 LEGENDS OF CHAKLEMAGNE. 

after fifteen years passed in tins desert without seeing 
the face of a fellow-countryman ? " 

Huon, to gratify him still more, unlaced his helmet, 
and came towards him with a smiling countenance. 
The other regarded him with more surprise than at 
first. " Good Heaven ! " he exclaimed, " was there 
ever such a resemblance ! Ah, noble sir," he added, 
" tell me, I beseech you, of what country and race you 
come?" "I require," replied Huon, "before telling 
you mine, that you first reveal your own ; let it suf- 
fice you at present to know that I am a Christian, and 
that in Guienne I was born." "Ah! Heaven grant 
that my eyes and my heart do not deceive me," ex- 
claimed the unknown ; " my name is Sherasmin ; I 
am brother to Guire, the Mayor of Bordeaux. I was 
taken prisoner in the battle where my dear and illus- 
trious master, Sevinus, lost his life. For three years 
I endured the miseries of slavery; at length I broke 
my chains and escaped to this desert, where I have 
sustained myself in solitude ever since. Your features 
recall to me my beloved sovereign, in whose service 
I was from my infancy till his death." Huon made 
no reply but by embracing the old man, with tears 
in his eyes. Then Sherasmin learned that his arms 
enfolded the son of the Duke Sevinus. He led him 
to his cabin, and spread before him the dry fruits and 
honey which formed his only aliment. 



HTJON OF BORDEAUX. 305 

Huon recounted his adventures to Sherasmin, who 
was moved to tears at the recital. He then consulted 
him on the means of conducting his enterprise. She- 
rasmin hesitated not to confess that success seemed 
impossible ; nevertheless, he swore a solemn oath never 
to abandon him. The Saracen language, which he was 
master of, would be serviceable to them when they 
should leave the desert, and mingle with men. 

They took the route of the Red Sea, and entered 
Arabia. Their way lay through a region which She- 
rasmin described as full of terrors. It was inhabited 
by Oberon, King of the Fairies, who made captive 
such knights as were rash enough to penetrate into it, 
and transformed them into Hobgoblins. It was possi- 
ble to avoid this district at the expense of somewhat 
lengthening their route ; but no dangers could deter 
Huon of Bordeaux; and the brave Sherasmin, who 
had now resumed the armor of a knight, reluctantly 
consented to share with him the dangers of the shorter 
route. 

They entered a wood, and arrived at a spot whence 
alleys branched off in various directions. One of them 
seemed to be terminated by a superb palace, whose 
gilded roofs were adorned with brilliant weathercocks 
covered with diamonds. A superb chariot issued from 
the gate of the palace, and drove toward Huon and 



306 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

his companion, as if to meet them half-way. The 
prince saw no one in the chariot but a child apparent- 
ly about five years old, very beautiful, and clad in a 
robe which glittered with precious stones. At the 
sight of him, Sherasmin's terror was extreme. He 
seized the reins of Huon's horse, and turned him 
about, hurrying the prince away, and assuring him 
that they w T ere lost if they stopped to parley with the 
mischievous dwarf, who, though he appeared a child, 
was full of years and of treachery. Huon was 
sorry to lose sight of the beautiful dwarf, whose aspect 
had nothing in it to alarm ; yet he followed his friend, 
who urged on his horse with all possible speed. 
Presently a storm began to roar through the forest, 
the daylight grew dim, and they found their w T ay with 
difficulty. From time to time they seemed to hear 
an infantine voice, which said, " Stop, Duke Huon ; 
listen to me: it is in vain you fly me!" 

Sherasmin only fled the faster, and stopped not until 
he had reached the gate of a monastery of monks and 
nuns, the two communities of which were assembled at 
that time in a religious procession. Sherasmin, feeling 
safe from the malice of the dwarf in the presence of 
so many holy persons and the sacred banners, stopped 
to ask an asylum, and made Huon dismount also. But 
at that moment they were joined by the dwarf, who 



HUON OF BORDEAUX. 307 

blew a blast upon an ivory horn which hung from his 
neck. Immediately the good Sherasmin, in spite of 
himself, began to dance like a young collegian, and 
seizing the hand of an aged nun, who felt as if it 
would be her death, they footed it briskly over the 
grass, and were imitated by all the other monks and 
nuns, mingled together, forming the strangest dancing- 
party ever beheld. Huon alone felt no disposition to 
dance ; but he came near dying of laughter at seeing 
the ridiculous postures and leaps of the others. 

The dwarf, approaching Huon, said, in a sweet 
voice, and in Huon's own language, " Duke of Gui- 
enne, why do you shun me ? I conjure you, in 
Heaven's name, speak to me." Huon, hearing himself 
addressed in this serious manner, and knowing that 
no evil spirit would dare to use the holy name in aid 
of his schemes, replied, " Sir, whoever you are, I am 
ready to hear and answer you." " Huon, my friend," 
continued the dwarf, " I always loved your race, and 
you have been dear to me ever since your birth. The 
gracious state of conscience in which you were when 
you entered my wood has protected you from all 
enchantments, even if I had intended to practise any 
upon you. If these monks, these nuns, and even your 
friend Sherasmin, had had a conscience as pure as 
yours, my horn would not have set them dancing; 



308 LEGENDS OF CHAKLEMAGNE. 

but where is the monk or the nun who can always 
be deaf to the voice of the tempter, and Sherasmin in 
the desert has often doubted the power of Providence." 
At these words Huon saw the dancers overcome 
with exertion. He begged mercy for them, the dwarf 
granted it, and the effect of the horn ceased at once ; 
the nuns got rid of their partners, smoothed their 
dresses, and hastened to resume their places in the 
procession. Sherasmin, overcome with heat, panting, 
and unable to stand on his legs, threw himself upon 
the grass, and began, "Did not I tell you — " He 
was going on in an angry tone, but the dwarf, ap- 
proaching, said, " Sherasmin, why have you mur- 
mured against Providence ? why have you thought 
evil of me ? You deserved this light punishment ; but 
I know you to be good and loyal ; I mean to show 
myself your friend, as you shall soon see." At these 
words, he presented him a rich goblet. " Make the 
sign of the cross on this cup," said he, "and then 
believe that I hold my power from the God you adore, 
whose faithful servant I am, as well as you. Sheras- 
min obeyed, and on the instant the cup was filled 
with delicious wine, a draught of which restored vigor 
to his limbs, and made him feel young again. Over- 
come with gratitude, he threw himself on his knees, 
but the dwarf raised him, and bade him sit beside 
him, and thus commenced his history: — 



HUON OF BORDEAUX. 309 

" Julius Caesar, going by sea to join his army, was 
driven by a storm to take shelter in the island of 
Celea, where dwelt the fairy Glorianda. From this 
renowned pair I draw my birth. I am the inheritor 
of that which was most admirable in each of my 
parents : my father's heroic qualities, and my mother's 
beauty and magic art. But a malicious sister of my 
mother's, in revenge for some slight offence, touched 
me with her wand when I was only five years old, 
and forbade me to grow any bigger ; and my mother, 
with all her power, was unable to annul the sentence. 
I have thus continued infantile in appearance, though 
full of years and experience. The power which I de- 
rive from my mother I use sometimes for my own 
diversion, but always to promote justice and to reward 
virtue. I am able and willing to assist you, Duke of 
Guienne, for I know the errand on which you come 
hither. I presage for you, if you follow my counsels, 
complete success ; and the beautiful Clarimunda for a 
wife." 

When he had thus spoken, he presented to Huon 
the precious and useful cup, which had the faculty of 
filling itself when a good man took it in his hand. 
He gave him also his beautiful horn of ivory, saying 
to him, " Huon, when you sound this gently, you 
will make the hearers dance, as you have seen ; but 



310 LEGENDS OF CHAELEMAGNE. 

if you sound it forcibly, fear not that I shall hear it, 
though at a hundred leagues' distance, and will fly 
to your relief; but be careful not to sound it in that 
way, unless upon the most urgent occasion." 

Oberon directed Huon what course he should take 
to reach the country of the Sultan Gaudisso. " You 
will encounter great perils," said he, " before arriving 
there, and I fear me," he added, with tears in his 
eyes, " that you will not in everything obey my di- 
rections, and in that case you will suffer much calam- 
ity." Then he embraced Huon and Sherasmin, and 
left them. 

Huon and his follower travelled many days through 
the desert before they reached any inhabited place, 
and all this while the wonderful cup sustained them, 
furnishing them not only wine, but food also. At last 
they came to a great city. As day was declining, 
they entered its suburbs, and Sherasmin, who spoke 
the Saracen language perfectly, inquired for an inn 
where they could pass the night. A person who ap- 
peared to be one of the principal inhabitants, seeing 
two strangers of respectable appearance making this 
inquiry, stepped forward and begged them to accept 
the shelter of his mansion. They entered, and their 
host did the honors of his abode with a politeness 
which they were astonished to see in a Saracen. He 



HUON OF BOEDEAUX. 311 

had them served with coffee and sherbet, and all was 
conducted with great decorum, till one of the servants 
awkwardly overturned a cup of hot coffee on the 
host's legs, when he started up, exclaiming in very 
good Gascon, " Blood and thunder ! you blockhead, 
you deserve to be thrown over the mosque ! " 

Huon could not help laughing to see the vivacity 
and the language of his country thus break out un- 
awares. The host, who had no idea that his guests 
understood his words, was astonished when Huon 
addressed him in the dialect of his country. Im- 
mediately confidence was established between them ; 
especially when the domestics had retired. The host, 
seeing that he was discovered, and that the two pre- 
tended Saracens were from the borders of the Ga- 
ronne, embraced them, and disclosed that he was a 
Christian. Huon, who had learned prudence from the 
advice of Oberon, to test his host's sincerity, drew 
from his robe the cup which the Fairy-king had given 
him, and presented it empty to the host. " A fair 
cup," said he, " but I should like it better if it w T as 
full." Immediately it was so. The host, astonished, 
dared not put it to his lips. " Drink boldly, my dear 
fellow-countryman," said Huon ; " your truth is proved 
by this cup, which only fills itself in the hands of an 
honest man." The host did not hesitate longer ; the 



312 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

cup passed freely from hand to hand ; their mutual 
cordiality increased as it passed, and each recounted 
his adventures. Those of Huon redoubled his host's 
respect ; for he recognized in him Ins legitimate sover- 
eign : while the host's narrative was in these words : — 
" My name is Floriac ; this great and strong city, 
you will hear with surprise and grief, is governed by 
a brother of Duke Sevinus, and your uncle. You 
have no doubt heard that a young brother of the 
Duke of Guienne was stolen away from the sea-shore, 
with his companions, by some corsairs. I was then 
his page, and we were carried by those corsairs to 
Barbary, where we were sold for slaves. The Bar- 
bary prince sent us as part of the tribute which he 
yearly paid to his sovereign, the Sultan Gaudisso. 
Your uncle, who had been somewhat puffed up by 
the flattery of ■ his attendants, thought to increase his 
importance with his new master by telling him his 
rank. The Sultan, who, like a true Mussulman, de- 
tested all Christian princes, exerted himself from that 
moment to bring him over to the Saracen faith. He 
succeeded but too well,, Your uncle, seduced by the 
arts of the Santons, and by the pleasures and indul- 
gences which the Sultan allowed him, committed the 
horrid crime of apostasy ; he renounced his baptism, 
and embraced Mahometanism. Gaudisso then loaded 



HTJON OF BORDEAUX. 313 

him with honors, made him espouse one of his nieces, 
and sent him to reign over this city and adjoining 
country. Your uncle preserved for me the same 
friendship which he had had when a boy ; but all 
his caresses and efforts could not make me renounce 
my faith. Perhaps he respected me in his heart for 
my resistance to his persuasions, perhaps he had hopes 
of inducing me in time to imitate him. He made me 
accompany him to this city, of which he was master, 
he gave me his confidence, and permits me to keep in 
my service some Christians, whom I protect for the 
sake of their faith." 

" Ah ! " exclaimed Huon, " take me to this guilty 
uncle. A prince of the house of Guienne, must he 
not blush at the cowardly abandonment of the faith 
of his fathers?" 

" Alas ! " replied Floriac, " I fear he will neither be 
sensible of shame at your reproaches, nor of pleasure 
at the sight of a nephew so worthy of his lineage. 
Brutified by sensuality, jealous of his power, which he 
often exercises with cruelty, he will more probably 
restrain you by force or put you to death." 

" Be it so," said the brave and fervent Huon, " I 
could not die in a better cause ; and I demand of you 
to conduct me to him to-morrow, after having told him 
of my arrival, and my birth." Floriac still objected, 

14 



314 LEGENDS OF CHAELEMAGNE. 

but Huon would take no denial, and lie promised 
obedience. 

Next morning Fioriac waited upon the Governor, 
and told him of the arrival of his nephew, Huon of 
Bordeaux; and of the intention of the prince to 
present himself at his court that very day. The 
Governor, surprised, did not immediately answer; 
though he at once made up his mind what to do. He 
knew that Fioriac loved Christians and the princes 
of his native land too well to aid in any treason to 
one of them ; he therefore feigned great pleasure at 
hearing of the arrival of the eldest born of his family 
at his court. He immediately sent Fioriac to find him ; 
he caused his palace to be put in festal array, his divah 
to be assembled, and, after giving some secret orders, 
went himself to meet his nephew, whom he introduced 
under his proper name and title to all the great offi- 
cers of his court. 

Huon burned with indignation at seeing his uncle 
with forehead encircled with a rich turban, surmounted 
with a crescent of precious stones. His natural can- 
dor made him receive with pain the embraces which 
the treacherous Governor lavished upon him. Moan- 
while the hope of finding a suitable moment to 
reproach him for his apostasy made him submit to 
those honors which his uncle caused to be rendered 



HUON OF BOEDEAUX. 315 

to him. The Governor evaded with address the chance 
of being alone with Huon, and spent all the morning 
in taking him through his gardens and palace. At 
last, when the hour of dinner approached, and the 
Governor took him by the hand to lead him into 
the dining-hall, Huon seized the opportunity, and said 
to him in a low voice, "O my uncle! O Prince, 
brother of the Duke Sevinus ! in what condition 
have I the grief and shame of seeing you ! " The 
Governor pretended to be moved, pressed his hand, 
and whispered in his ear, c * Silence ! my dear nephew ; 
to-morrow morning I will hear you fully." 

Huon, comforted a little by these words, took his 
seat at the table by the side of the Governor. The 
Mufti, some Cadis, Agas, and Santons, filled the other 
places. Sherasmin sat down with them ; but Floriac, 
who would not lose sight of his guests, remained 
standing, and passed in and out to observe what was 
going on within the palace. He soon perceived a 
number of armed men gliding through the passages 
and antechambers connected with the dining-hall. He 
was about to enter to give his guests notice of what 
he had seen, when he heard a violent noise and 
commotion in the hall. The cause was this. 

Huon and Sherasmin were well enough suited with 
the first course, and ate with good appetite; but the 



316 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

people of their country not being accustomed to drink 
only water at their meals, Huon and Sherasmin 
looked at one another, not very well pleased at such 
a regimen. Huon laughed outright at the impatience 
of Sherasmin, but soon, experiencing the same want 
himself, he drew forth Oberon's cup, and made the 
sign of the cross. The cup filled, and he drank it off, 
and handed it to Sherasmin, who followed his example. 
The Governor and his officers, seeing this abhorred 
sign, contracted their brows, and sat in silent con- 
sternation. Huon pretended not to observe it, and 
having filled the cup again, handed it to his uncle, 
saying, " Pray join us, dear uncle ; it is excellent 
Bordeaux wine, the drink that will be to you like 
mother's milk." The Governor, who often drank in 
secret with his favorite Sultanas the wines of Greece 
and Shiraz, never in public drank anything but water. 
He had not for a long time tasted the excellent wines 
of his native land ; he was sorely tempted to drink 
what was now handed to him, it looked so bright 
in the cup, outshining the gold itself. He stretched 
forth his hand, took the brimming goblet and raised 
it to his lips, when immediately it dried up and dis- 
appeared. Huon and Sherasmin, like Gascons as they 
were, laughed at his astonishment. " Christian dogs ! ,? 
he exclaimed, " do you dare to insult me at my own 



HUON OF BORDEAUX. 817 

table ? But I will soon be revenged." At these words 
lie threw the cup at the head of his nephew, who 
caught it with his left hand, while with the other he 
snatched the turban, with its crescent, from the Gov- 
ernor's head, and threw it on the floor. All the 
Saracens started up from table, with loud outcries, 
and prepared to avenge the insult. Huon and 
Sherasmin put themselves on their defence, and met 
with their swords the scimitars directed against them. 
At this moment the doors of the hall opened, and a 
crowd of soldiers and armed eunuchs rushed in, who 
joined in the attack upon Huon and Sherasmin. The 
Prince and his followers took refuge on a broad shelf 
or sideboard, where they kept at bay the crowd of 
assailants, making the most forward of them smart for 
their audacity. But more troops came pressing in, 
and the brave Huon, inspired by the wine of Bordeaux, 
and not angry enough to lose his relish for a joke, 
blew a gentle note on his horn, and no sooner was it 
heard than it quelled the rage of the combatants and 
set them to dancing. Huon and Sherasmin, no longer 
attacked, looked down from their elevated position on 
a scene the most singular and amusing. Very soon 
the Sultanas, hearing the sound of the dance, and 
finding their guards withdrawn, came into the hall 
and mixed with the dancers. The favorite Sultana 



818 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

seized upon a young Santon, who performed jumps 
two feet high ; but soon the long dresses of this 
couple got intermingled and threw them down. The 
Santon's beard was caught in the Sultana's necklace, 
and they could not disentangle them. The Governor 
by no means approved this familiarity, and took two 
steps forward to get at the Santon, but he stumbled 
over a prostrate Dervise and measured his length on 
the floor. The dancing continued till the strength 
of the performers was exhausted, and they fell, one 
after the other, and lay helpless. The Governor at 
length made signs to Huon that he would yield 
everything, if he would but allow him to rest. The 
bargain was ratified; the Governor allowed Huon and 
Sherasmin to depart on their way, and even gave 
them a ring which would procure them safe passage 
through his country and access to the Sultan Gaudisso. 
The two friends hastened to avail themselves of this 
favorable turn, and, taking leave of Floriac, pursued 
their journey. 




HUON OF BORDEAUX. 



Continued. 



HUON had seen many beauties at his mother's 
court, but his heart had never been touched 
with love. Honor had been his mistress, and in pur- 
suit of that he had never found time to give a 
thought to softer cares. Strange that a heart so in- 
sensible should first be touched by something so unsub- 
stantial as a dream ; but so it was. 

The day after the adventure with his uncle, night 
overtook the travellers as they passed through a forest. 
A grotto offered them shelter from the night dews. 
The magic cup supplied their evening meal; for such 



320 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

was its virtue that it afforded not only wine, but 
more solid fare when desired. Fatigue soon threw 
them into profound repose. Lulled by the murmur 
of the foliage, and breathing the fragrance of the 
flowers, Huon dreamed that a lady more beautiful 
than he had ever before seen hung over him, and 
imprinted a kiss upon his lips. As he stretched out 
his arms to embrace her, a sudden gust of wind swept 
her away. 

Huon awoke in an agony of regret. A few 
moments sufficed to afford some consolation in show- 
ing him that what had passed was but a dream ; but 
his perplexity and sadness could not escape the notice 
of Sherasmin. Huon hesitated not to inform his faith- 
ful _ follower of the reason of his pensiveness ; and 
got nothing in return but his rallyings for allowing 
himself to be disturbed by such a cause. He recom- 
mended a draught from the fairy goblet, and Huon 
tried it with good effect. 

At early dawn they resumed their way. They 
travelled till high noon, but said little to one another. 
Huon was musing on his dream, and Sherasmin's 
thoughts flew back to his early days on the banks of 
the flowery Garonne. 

On a sudden they were startled by the cry of dis- 
tress, and, turning an angle of the wood, came where 



HUON OF BORDEAUX. 321 

a knight hard pressed was fighting with a furious lion. 
The knight's horse lay dead, and it seemed as if 
another moment would end the combat, for terror and 
fatigue had quite disabled the knight for further resist- 
ance. He fell, and the lion's paw was raised over 
him, when a blow from Huon's sword turned the 
monster's rage upon a ^new enemy. His roar shook 
the forest, and he crouched in act to spring, when, 
with the rapidity of lightning, Huon plunged his 
sword into his side. He rolled over on the plain in 
the agonies of death. 

They raised the knight from the ground, and She- 
rasmin hastened to offer him a draught from the 
fairy cup. The wine sparkled to the brim, and the 
warrior put forth his lips to quaff it, but it shrunk 
away, and did not even wet his lips. He dashed the 
goblet angrily on the ground, with an exclamation 
of resentment. This incident did not tend to make 
either party more acceptable to the other ; and what 
followed was worse. For when Huon said, " Sir 
knight, thank God for your deliverance," — " Thank 
Mahomet, rather, yourself," said he, "for he has led 
you this day to render service to no less a personage 
than the Prince of Hyrcania." 

At the sound of this blasphemy Huon drew his 
sword and turned upon . the miscreant, who, little 
14* u 



322 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

disposed to encounter the prowess of which he had 
so lately seen proof, betook himself to flight. He ran 
to Huon's horse, and, lightly vaulting on his back, 
clapped spurs to his side, and galloped out of sight. 

The adventure was vexatious, yet there was no 
remedy. The' prince and Sherasmin continued their 
journey with the aid of the .remaining horse as they 
best might. At length, as evening set in, they de- 
scried the pinnacles and towers of a great city full 
before them, which they knew to be the famous city 
of Bagdad. 

They were wellnigh exhausted with fatigue when 
they arrived at its precincts, and in the darkness, not 
knowing what course to take, were glad to meet an 
aged woman, who, in reply to their inquiries, offered 
them such accommodations as her cottage could sup- 
ply. They thankfully accepted the offer, and entered 
the low door. The good dame busily prepared the 
best fare her stores supplied, — milk, figs, and peaches, 
— deeply regretting that the bleak winds had nipped 
her almond-trees. 

Sir Huon thought he had never in his life tasted 
any fare so good. The old lady talked while her 
guests ate. She doubted not, she said, they had 
come to be present at the great feast in honor of the 
marriage of the Sultan's daughter, which was to take 



HUON OF BOKDEAUX. 323 

place on the morrow. They asked who the bride- 
groom was to be, and the old lady answered, " The 
Prince of Hyrcania," but added, " Our princess hates 
him, and would rather wed a dragon than him." 
" How know you that ? " asked Huon ; and the dame 
informed him that she had it from the princess her- 
self, who was her foster-child. Huon inquired the 
reason of the princess's aversion ; and the woman, 
pleased to find her chat excite so much interest, re- 
plied that it was all in consequence of a dream. U A 
dream ! " exclaimed Huon. " Yes ! a dream. She 
dreamed that she was a hind, and that the Prince, as 
a hunter, was pursuing her, and had almost overtaken 
her, when a beautiful dwarf appeared in view, drawn 
in a golden car, having by his side a young man of 
yellow hair and fair complexion, like one from a 
foreign land. She dreamed that the car stopped 
where she stood, and that, having resumed her own 
form, she was about to ascend it, when suddenly it 
faded from her view, and with it the dwarf and 
the fair-haired youth. But from her heart that vision 
did not fade, and from that time her affianced bride- 
groom, the Hyrcanian prince, had become odious to 
her sight. Yet the Sultan, her father, by no means 
regarding such a cause as sufficient to prevent the 
marriage, had named the morrow as the time when 



324 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

it should be solemnized, in presence of his court and 
many princes of the neighboring countries, whom the 
fame of the princess's beauty and the bridegroom's 
splendor had brought to the scene." 

We may suppose this conversation woke a tumult 
of thoughts in the breast of Huon. Was it not clear 
that Providence led him on, and cleared the way for 
his happy success ? Sleep did not early visit the eyes 
of Huon that night ; but, with the sanguine temper of 
youth, he indulged his fancy in imagining the sequel 
of his strange experience. 

The next day, which he could not but regard as 
the decisive day of his fate, he prepared to deliver the 
message of Charlemagne. Clad in his armor, fortified 
with his ivory horn and his ring, he reached the palace 
of Gaudisso when the guests were assembled at the 
banquet. As he approached the gate, a voice called 
on all true believers to enter ; and Huon, the brave 
and faithful Huon, in his impatience passed in under 
that false pretension. He had no sooner passed the 
barrier than he felt ashamed of his baseness, and was 
overwhelmed with regret. To make amends for his 
fault he ran forward to the second gate, and cried to 
the porter, "Dog of a misbeliever, I command you in 
the name of Him who died on the cross, open to me!" 
The points of a hundred weapons immediately opposed 



HUON OF BORDEAUX. 325 

his passage. Huon then remembered for the first time 
the ring he had received from his uncle, the Governor. 
He produced it, and demanded to be led to the Sul- 
tan's presence. The officer of the guard recognized 
the ring, made a respectful obeisance, and allowed him 
free entrance. In the same way he passed the other 
doors to the rich saloon where the great Sultan was at 
dinner with his tributary princes. At sight of the 
ring the chief attendant led Huon to the head of the 
hall, and introduced him to the Sultan and his princes 
as the ambassador of Charlemagne. A seat was pro- 
vided for him near the royal party. 

The Prince of Hyrcania, the same whom Huon had 
rescued from the lion, and who was the destined 
bridegroom of the beautiful Clarimunda, sat on the 
Sultan's right hand, and the princess herself on his 
left. It chanced that Huon found himself near the 
seat of the princess, and hardly were the ceremonies 
of reception over, before he made haste to fulfil the 
commands of Charlemagne by imprinting a kiss upon 
her rosy lips, and after that a second, not by com- 
mand, but by good-will. The Prince of Hyrcania cried 
out, " Audacious infidel ! take the reward of thy in- 
solence ! " and aimed a blow at Huon, which, if it 
had reached him, would have brought his embassy to 
a speedy termination. But the ingrate failed of his 



326 LEGENDS OF CHAKLEMAGNE. 

aim, and Huon punished his blasphemy and ingratitude 
at once by a blow which severed his head from his 
body. 

So suddenly had all this happened, that no hand had 
been raised to arrest it; but now Gaudisso cried out, 
" Seize the murderer ! " Huon was hemmed in on all 
sides, but his redoubtable sword kept the crowd of 
courtiers at bay. But he saw new combatants enter, 
and could not hope to maintain his ground against so 
many. He recollected his horn, and, raising it to his 
lips, blew a blast almost as loud as that of Roland at 
Roncesvalles. It was in vain. Oberon heard it; but 
the sin of which Huon had been guilty in bearing, 
though but for a moment, the character of a believer 
in the false prophet, had put it out of Oberon's power 
to help him. Huon, finding himself deserted, and 
conscious of the cause, lost his strength and energy, 
was seized, loaded with chains, and plunged into a 
dungeon. 

His life was spared for the time, merely that he 
might be reserved for a more painful death. The 
Sultan meant that, after being made to feel all the 
torments of hunger and despair, he should be flayed 
alive. 

But an enchanter more ancient and more powerful 
than Oberon himself interested himself for the brave 



HUON OF BORDEAUX. 327 

Huon. That enchanter was Love. The Princess 
Clarimunda learned with horror the fate to which 
the young prince was destined. By the aid of her 
governante she gained over the keeper of the prison, 
and went herself to lighten the chains of her beloved. 
It was her hand that removed his fetters, from her he 
received supplies of food to sustain a life which he 
devoted from thenceforth wholly to her. After the 
most tender explanations the princess departed, promis- 
ing to repeat her visit on the morrow. 

The next day she came according to promise, and 
again brought supplies of food. These visits were con- 
tinued during a whole month. Huon was too good 
a son of the Church to forget that the amiable prin- 
cess was a Saracen, and he availed himself of these 
interviews to instruct her in the true faith. How 
easy it is to believe the truth when uttered by the 
lips of those we love! Clarimunda erelong professed 
her entire belief in the Christian doctrines, and de- 
sired to be baptized. 

Meanwhile the Sultan had repeatedly inquired of 
the jailer how his prisoner bore the pains of famine, 
and learned to his surprise that he was not yet much 
reduced thereby. On his repeating the inquiry, after 
a short interval, the keeper replied that the prisoner 
had died suddenly, and had been buried in the cavern. 



328 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

The Sultan could only regret that he had not sooner 
ordered the execution of the sentence. 

While these things were going on, the faithful She- 
rasmin, who had not accompanied Huon in his last 
adventure, but had learned by common rumor the 
result of it, came to the court in hopes of doing some- 
thing for the rescue of his master. He presented him- 
self to the Sultan as Solario, his nephew. Gaudisso 
received him with kindness, and all the courtiers 
loaded him with attentions. He soon found means to 
inform himself how the Princess regarded the brave 
but unfortunate Huon, and, having made himself 
known to her, confidence was soon established between 
them. Clarimunda readily consented to assist in the 
escape of Huon, and to quit with him her father's 
court to repair to that of Charlemagne. Their united 
efforts had nearly perfected their arrangement, a vessel 
was secretly prepared, and all things in forwardness 
for the flight, when an unlooked-for obstacle pre- 
sented itself. Huon himself positively refused to go, 
leaving the orders of Charlemagne unexecuted. 

Sherasmin was in despair. Bitterly he complained 
of the fickleness and cruelty of Oberon in withdraw- 
ing his aid at the very crisis when it was most neces- 
sary. Earnestly he urged every argument to satisfy 
the prince that he had done enough for honor, and 



HUON OF BOEDEAUX. 329 

could not be held bound to achieve impossibilities. 
But all was of no avail, and he knew not which way 
to turn, when one of those events occurred which are 
so frequent under Turkish despotisms. A courier 
arrived at the court of the Sultan, bearing the ring of 
his sovereign, the mighty Agrapard, Caliph of Ara- 
bia, and bringing the bow-string for the neck of 
Gaudisso. No reason was assigned ; none but the 
pleasure of the Caliph is ever required in such cases ; 
but it was suspected that the bearer of the bow-string 
had persuaded the Caliph that Gaudisso, whose ra- 
pacity was well known, had accumulated immense 
treasures, which he had not duly shared with his 
sovereign, and thus had obtained an order to super- 
sede him in his Emirship. 

The body of Gaudisso would have been cast out a 
prey to dogs and vultures, had not Sherasmin, under 
the character of nephew of the deceased, been permit- 
ted to receive it, and give it decent burial, which he 
did, but not till he had taken possession of the beard 
and grinders, agreeably to the orders of Charlemagne. 

No obstacle now stood in the way of the lovers and 
their faithful follower in returning to France. They 
sailed, taking Rome in their way, where the Holy 
Father himself blessed the union of his nephew, Duke 
Huon of Bordeaux, with the Princess Clarimunda. 



330 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

Soon afterward they arrived in France, where Huon 
laid his trophies at the feet of Charlemagne, and, being 
restored to the favor of the Emperor, hastened to 
present himself and his bride to the Duchess, his 
mother, and to the faithful liegemen of his province of 
Guienne and his city of Bordeaux, where the pair 
were received with transports of joy. 




OGIER, THE DANE. 



OGIER, the Dane, was the son of Geoffroy, 
who wrested Denmark from the Pagans, and 
reigned the first Christian king of that country. 
When Ogier was born, and before he was baptized, 
six ladies of ravishing beauty appeared all at once 
in the chamber of the .infant. They encircled him, 
and she who appeared the eldest took him in her 
arms, kissed him, and laid her hand upon his heart. 
" I give you," said she, " to be the bravest warrior 
of your times." She delivered the infant to her 
sister, who said, " I give you abundant opportuni- 
ties to display your valor." " Sister," said the third 



332 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

lady, " you have given him a dangerous boon ; I 
give him that he shall never be vanquished." The 
fourth sister added, as she laid her hand upon his 
eyes and his mouth, " I give you the gift of pleas- 
ing." The fifth said, " Lest all these gifts serve 
only to betray, I give you sensibility to return the 
love you inspire." Then spoke Morgana, the youngest 
and handsomest of the group, " Charming creature, 
I claim you for my own ; and I give you not to 
die till you shall have come to pay me a visit in 
my isle of Avalon." Then she kissed the child and 
departed with her sisters. 

After this the king had the child carried to the 
font and baptized with the name of Ogier. 

In his education nothing was neglected to elevate 
him to the standard of a perfect knight, and render 
him accomplished in all the arts necessary to make 
him a hero. 

He had hardly reached the age of sixteen years, 
when Charlemagne, whose power was established over 
all the sovereigns of his time, recollected that Geof- 
froy, Ogier's father, had omitted to render the hom- 
age due to him as Emperor, and sovereign lord of 
Denmark, one of the grand fiefs of the empire. He 
accordingly sent an embassy to demand of the king 
of Denmark this homage, and on receiving a refusal, 



OGIER, THE DANE. 333 

couched in haughty terms, sent an army to enforce 
the demand. Geoffroy, after an unsuccessful resist- 
ance, was forced to comply, and as a pledge of his 
sincerity delivered Ogier, his eldest son, a hostage 
to Charles, to be brought up at his court. He was 
placed in charge of the Duke Namo of Bavaria, 
the friend of his father, who treated him like his 
own son. 

Ogier grew up more and more handsome and 
amiable every day. He surpassed in form, strength, 
and address all the noble youths his companions ; 
he failed not to be present at all tourneys ; he was 
attentive to the elder knights, and burned with im- 
patience to imitate them. Yet his heart rose some- 
times in secret against his condition as a hostage, 
and as one apparently forgotten by his father. 

The king of Denmark, in fact, was at this time 
occupied with new loves. Ogier's mother having 
died, he had married a second wife, and had a son 
named Guy on. The new queen had absolute power 
over her husband, and fearing that, if he should see 
Ogier again, he would give him the preference over 
Guyon, she had adroitly persuaded him to delay 
rendering his homage to Charlemagne, till now four 
years had passed away since the last renewal of 
that ceremony. Charlemagne, irritated at this de- 



334 LEGENDS OF CHAKLEMAGNE. 

linquency, drew closer the bonds of Ogier's captivity 
until he should receive a response from the king of 
Denmark to a fresh summons which he caused to be 
sent to him. 

The answer of GeofFroy was insulting and defiant, 
and the rage of Charlemagne was roused in the 
highest degree. He was at first disposed to wreak 
his vengeance upon Ogier, his hostage ; but at the 
entreaties of Duke Namo, who felt towards his pupil 
like a father, consented to spare his life, if Ogier 
would swear fidelity to him as his liege-lord, and 
promise not to quit his court without his permission. 
Ogier accepted these terms, and was allowed to re- 
tain all the freedom he had before enjoyed. 

The Emperor would have immediately taken arms 
to reduce his disobedient vassal, if he had not been 
called off in another direction by a message from 
Pope Leo, imploring his assistance. The Saracens 
had landed in the neighborhood of Rome, occupied 
Mount Janiculum, and prepared to pass the Tiber 
and carry fire and sword to the capital of the Chris- 
tian world. Charlemagne hesitated not to yield to 
the entreaties of the Pope. He speedily assembled 
an army, crossed the Alps, traversed Italy, and ar- 
rived at Spoleto, a strong place to which the Pope 
had retired. Leo, at the head of his Cardinals, 



OGIER, THE DANE. 335 

advanced to meet him, and rendered him homage, 
as to the son of Pepin, the illustrious protector of 
the Holy See, coming, as his father had done, to de- 
fend it in the hour of need. 

Charlemagne stopped but two days at Spoleto, 
and learning that the Infidels, having rendered them- 
selves masters of Rome, were besieging the Capitol, 
which could not long hold out against them, marched 
promptly to attack them. 

The advanced posts of the army were commanded 
by Duke Namo, on whom Ogier waited as his 
squire. He did not yet bear arms, not having 
received the order of knighthood. The Oriflamme, 
the royal standard, was borne by a knight named 
Alory, who showed himself unworthy of the honor. 

Duke Namo, seeing a strong body of the Infidels 
advancing to attack him, gave the word to charge 
them. Ogier remained in the rear, with the other 
youths, grieving much that he was not permitted to 
fight. Very soon he saw Alory lower the Ori- 
flamme, and turn his horse in flight. Ogier pointed 
him out to the young men, and, seizing a club, 
rushed upon Alory and struck him from his horse. 
Then, with his companions, he disarmed him, clothed 
himself in his armor, raised the Oriflamme, and, mount- 
ing the horse of the unworthy knight, flew to the 



336 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

front rank, where he joined Duke Namo, drove back 
the Infidels, and carried the Oriflamme quite through 
their broken ranks. The Duke, thinking it was 
Alory, whom he had not held in high esteem, was 
astonished at his strength and valor. Ogier's young 
companions imitated him, supplying themselves with 
armor from the bodies of the slain ; they followed 
Ogier and carried death into the ranks of the Sara- 
cens, who fell back in confusion upon their main 
body. 

Duke Namo now ordered a retreat, and Ogier 
obeyed with reluctance, when they perceived Charle- 
magne advancing; to their assistance. The combat 
now became general, and was more terrible than 
ever. Charlemagne had overthrown Corsuble, the 
commander of the Saracens, and had drawn his 
famous sword, Joyeuse, to cut off his head, when 
two Saracen knights set upon him at once, one of 
whom slew his horse, and the other overthrew the 
Emperor on the sand. Perceiving by the eagle on 
his casque who he was, they dismounted in haste to 
give him his death-blow. Never was the life of the 
Emperor in such peril. But Ogier, who saw him 
fall, flew to his rescue. Though embarrassed with 
the Oriflamme, he pushed his horse against one 
of the Saracens and knocked him down ; and with 



OGIEE, THE DANE. 337 

his sword dealt the other so vigorous a blow that he 
fell stunned to the earth. Then helping the Em- 
peror to rise, he remounted him on the horse of one 
of the fallen knights. " Brave and generous Alory ! " 
Charles exclaimed, " I owe to you my honor and 
my life ! " Ogier made no answer ; but, leaving 
Charlemagne surrounded by a great many of the 
knights who had flown to his succor, he plunged 
into the thickest ranks of the enemy, and carried the 
Oriflamme, followed by a gallant train of youthful 
warriors, till the standard of Mahomet turned in re- 
treat and the Infidels sought safety in then' in- 
trenchments. 

Then the good Archbishop Turpin laid aside his 
helmet and his bloody sword, (for he always felt 
that he was clearly in the line of his duty while 
slaying infidels,) took his mitre and his crosier, and 
intoned Te Deum. 

At this moment, Ogier, covered with blood and 
dust, came to lay the Oriflamme at the feet of the 
Emperor. He was followed by a train of warriors 
of short stature, who walked ill at ease loaded w T ith 
armor too heavy for them. Ogier knelt at the feet 
of Charlemagne, who embraced him, calling him 
Alory, while Turpin, from the height of the altar, 
blessed him with all his might. Then young Or- 
15 v 



338 LEGENDS OF CHAELEMAGNE 

lando, son of the Count Milone and nephew of 
Charlemagne, no longer able to endure this mis- 
apprehension, threw down his helmet, and ran to 
unlace Ogier's, while the other young men laid 
aside theirs. Our author says he cannot express the 
surprise, the admiration, and the tenderness of the 
Emperor and his peers. Charles folded Ogier in his 
arms, and the happy fathers of those brave youths 
embraced them with tears of joy. The good Duke 
Namo stepped forward, and Charlemagne yielded 
Ogier to his embrace. " How much do I owe 
you," he said, " good and wise friend, for having 
restrained my anger ! My dear Ogier ! I owe you 
my life ! My sword leaps to touch your shoulder, 
yours, and those of your brave young friends." 
At these words he drew that famous sword, Joy- 
euse, and, while Ogier and the rest knelt before 
him, gave them the accolade conferring on them 
the order of knighthood. The young Orlando and 
his cousin Oliver could not refrain, even in the 
presence of the Emperor, from falling upon Ogier's 
neck, and pledging with him that brotherhood in 
arms, so dear and so sacred to the knights of old 
times ; but Chariot, the Emperor's son, at the sight 
of the glory with which Ogier had covered himself, 
conceived the blackest jealousy and hate. 



OGIEE, THE DANE. 339 

The rest of the day and the next were spent in 
the rejoicings of the army. Turpin in a solemn 
service implored the favor of Heaven upon the 
youthful knights, and blessed the white armor which 
was prepared for them. Duke Namo presented them 
with golden spurs, Charles himself girded on their 
swords. But what was his astonishment when he ex- 
amined that intended for Ogier ! The loving Fairy, 
Morgana, had had the art to change it, and to 
substitute one of her own procuring, and when 
Charles drew it out of the scabbard, these words 
appeared written on the steel : " My name is Cor- 
tana, of the same steel and temper as Joyeuse and 
Durindana." Charles saw that a superior power 
watched over the destinies of Ogier ; he vowed to 
love him as a father would, and Ogier promised 
him the devotion of a son. Happy had it been 
for both if they had always continued mindful of 
their promises. 

The Saracen army had hardly recovered from its 
dismay when Carahue, King of Mauritania, who was 
one of the knights overthrown by Ogier at the 
time of the rescue of Charlemagne, determined to 
challenge him to single combat. With that view, 
he assumed the dress of a herald, resolved to carry 
his own message. The French knights admired his 



340 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

air, and said to one another that he seemed more fit 
to be a knight than a bearer of messages. 

Carahue began by passing the warmest enlogium 
upon the knight who bore the Oriflamme on the 
day of the battle, and concluded by saying that 
Carahue, King of Mauritania, respected that knight so 
much that he challenged him to the combat. 

Ogier had risen to reply, when he was interrupted 
by Chariot, who said that the gage of the King of 
Mauritania could not fitly be received by a vassal, 
living in captivity; by which he meant Ogier, who 
was at that time serving as hostage for his father. 
Fire flashed from the eyes of Ogier, but the presence 
of the Emperor restrained his speech, and he was 
calmed by the kind looks of Charlemagne, who said, 
with an angry voice, " Silence, Chariot ! By the life 
of Bertha, my queen, he who has saved my life is as 
dear to me as yourself. Ogier," he continued, " you 
are no longer a hostage. Herald ! report my answer 
to your master, that never does knight of my court 
refuse a challenge on equal terms. Ogier, the Dane, 
accepts of his, and- 1 myself am his security." 

Carahue, profoundly bowing, replied, " My lord, I 
was sure that the sentiments of so great a sovereign 
as yourself would be worthy of your high and bril- 
liant fame ; I shall report your answer to my master, 



OGIEE, THE DANE. 341 

who I know admires you, and unwillingly takes arms 
against you." Then, turning to Chariot, whom he 
did not know as the son of the Emperor, he con- 
tinned, " As for you, Sir Knight, if the desire of 
battle inflames you, I have it in charge from Sadon, 
cousin of the King of Mauritania, to give the like 
defiance to any French knights who will grant him 
the honor of the combat." 

Chariot, inflamed with rage and vexation at the 
public reproof which he had just received, hesitated 
not to deliver his gage. Carahue received it with 
Ogier's, and it was agreed that the combat should be 
on the next day, in a meadow environed by woods 
and equally distant from both armies. 

The perfidious Chariot meditated the blackest trea- 
son. During the night he collected some knights 
unworthy of the name, and like himself in their 
ferocious manners ; he made them swear to avenge 
his injuries, armed them in black armor, and sent 
them to he in ambush in the wood, with orders to 
make a pretended attack upon the whole party, but 
in fact to lay heavy hands upon Ogier and the two 
Saracens. 

At the dawn of day Sadon and Carahue, attended 
only by two pages to carry their spears, took their 
way to the appointed meadow ; and Chariot and 



342 LEGENDS OF CHAELEMAGNE. 

Ogier repaired thither also, but by different paths. 
Ogier advanced with a calm air, saluted courteously 
the two Saracen knights, and joined them in arranging 
the terms of combat. 

While this was going on, the perfidious Chariot re- 
mained behind and gave his men the signal to 
advance. That cowardly troop issued from the wood 
and encompassed the three knights. All three were 
equally surprised at the attack, but neither of them 
suspected the other to have any hand in the treason. 
Seeing the attack made equally upon them all, they 
united their efforts to resist it, and made the most 
forward of the assailants bite the dust. Cortana fell 
on no one without inflicting a mortal wound, but the 
sword of Carahue was not of equal temper and 
broke in his hands. At the same instant his horse 
was slain, and Carahue fell, without a weapon and 
entangled with his prostrate horse. Ogier, who saw 
it, ran to his defence, and, leaping to the ground, 
covered the prince with his shield, supplied him with 
the sword of one of the fallen ruffians, and would 
have had him mount his own horse. At that mo- 
ment Chariot, inflamed with rage, pushed his horse 
upon Ogier, knocked him down, and would have 
run him through with his lance if Sadon, who saw 
the treason, had not sprung upon him and thrust 



OGIER, THE DANE. 343 

him back. Carahue leapt lightly upon the horse 
which Ogier presented him, and had time only to 
exclaim, " Brave Ogier, I am no longer your enemy, 
I pledge to you an eternal friendship," when numer- 
ous Saracen knights were seen approaching, having 
discovered the treachery, and Chariot with his fol- 
lowers took refuge in the wood. 

The troop which advanced was commanded by 
Dannemont, the exiled king of Denmark, whom 
Geoffroy, Ogier 's father, had driven from his throne 
and compelled to take refuge with the . Saracens. 
Learning who Ogier was he instantly declared him 
his prisoner, in spite of the urgent remonstrances 
and even threats of Carahue and Sadon, and carried 
him, under a strong guard, to the Saracen camp. 
Here he was at first subjected to the most rigor- 
ous captivity, but Carahue and Sadon insisted so 
vehemently on his release, threatening to turn their 
arms against their own party if it was not granted, 
while Dannemont as eagerly opposed the measure, 
that Corsuble, the Saracen commander, consented to 
a middle course, and allowed Ogier the freedom of 
his camp, upon his promise not to leave it without 
permission. 

Carahue was not satisfied with this partial conces- 
sion. He left the city next morning, proceeded to 



344 LEGENDS OF CHABLEMAGNE. 

the camp of Charlemagne, and demanded to be led to 
the Emperor. When he reached his presence he dis- 
mounted from his horse, took off his helmet, drew his 
sword, and, holding it by the blade, presented it to 
Charlemagne as he knelt before him. 

" Illustrious prince," he said, " behold before you 
the herald who brought the challenge to your knights 
from the King of Mauritania. The cowardly old 
King Dannemont has made the brave Ogier prisoner, 
and has prevailed on our general to refuse to give 
him up. I come to make amends for this ungenerous 
conduct by yielding myself, Carahue, King of Mauri- 
tania, your prisoner." 

Charlemagne, with all his peers, admired the mag- 
nanimity of Carahue ; he raised him, embraced him, 
and restored to him his sword. " Prince," said he, 
" your presence and the bright example you afford my 
knights consoles me for the loss of Ogier. Would to 
God you might receive our holy faith, and be wholly 
united with us." All the lords of the court, led by 
Duke Namo, paid their respects to the King of Mauri- 
tania. Chariot only failed to appear, fearing to be 
recognized as a traitor ; but the heart of Carahue was 
too noble to pierce that of Charlemagne by telling 
him the treachery of his son. 

Meanwhile the Saracen army was rent by discord. 



OGIEE, THE DANE. 845 

The troops of Carahue clamored against the com- 
mander-in-chief because their king was left in cap- 
tivity. They even threatened to desert the cause, and 
turn their arms against their allies. Charlemagne 
pressed the siege vigorously, till at length the Sara- 
cen leaders found themselves compelled to abandon 
the city and betake themselves to their ships. A 
truce was made ; Ogier was exchanged for Carahue, 
and the two friends embraced one another with 
vows of perpetual brotherhood. The Pope was re- 
established in his dominions, and Italy being tranquil, 
Charlemagne returned, with his peers and their fol- 
lowers, to France. 



15* 




OGIER, THE DANE. 

Continued. 

/CHARLEMAGNE had not forgotten the offence 
^^ of Geoflroy, the King of Denmark, in with- 
holding homage, and now prepared to enforce sub- 
mission. But at this crisis he was waited upon by 
an embassy from Geoffroy, acknowledging his fault, 
and craving assistance against an army of . invaders 
who had attacked his states with a force which he 
was unable to repel. The soul of Charlemagne was 
too great to be implacable, and he took this oppor- 
tunity to test that of Ogier, who had felt acutely the 
unkindness of his father, in leaving him, without regard 



OGIER, THE DANE. 347 

or notice, fifteen years in captivity. Charles asked 
Ogier whether, in spite of his father's neglect, he was 
disposed to lead an army to his assistance. He replied, 
" A son can never be excused from helping his father 
by any cause short of death." Charlemagne placed an 
army of a thousand knights under the command of 
Ogier, and great numbers more volunteered to march 
under so distinguished a leader. He flew to the 
succor of his father, repelled the invaders, and drove 
them in confusion to their vessels. Ogier then has- 
tened to the capital, but as he drew near the city he 
heard all the bells sounding a knell. He soon learned 
the cuuse; it was the obsequies of Geoffroy, the King. 
Ogier felt keenly the grief of not having been per- 
mitted to embrace his father once more, and to learn 
his latest commands ; but he found that his father 
had declared him heir to his throne. He hastened 
to the church where the body lay ; he knelt and 
bathed the lifeless form with his tears. At that 
moment a celestial light beamed all around, and a 
voice as of an angel said, " Ogier, leave thy crown 
to Guy on, thy brother, and bear no other title than 
that of c The Dane.' Thy destiny is glorious ; and 
other kingdoms are reserved for thee." Ogier obeyed 
the divine behest. He saluted his stepmother respect- 
fully, and, embracing his brother, told him that he was 



348 LEGENDS OF CHAELEMAGNE. 

content with his lot in being reckoned among the 
paladins of Charlemagne, and resigned all claims to 
the crown of Denmark. 

Ogier returned covered with glory to the court of 
Charlemagne, and the Emperor, touched with this 
proof of his attachment, loaded him with caresses, and 
treated him almost as an equal. 

We pass in silence the adventures of Ogier for 
several ensuing years, in which the fairy-gifts of his 
infancy showed their force in making him successful 
in all enterprises, both of love and war. He married 
the charming Belicene, and became the father of 
young Baldwin, a youth who seemed to inherit in 
full measure the strength and courage of his father 
and the beauty of his mother. When the lad was 
old enough to be separated from his mother, Ogier 
took him to court and presented him to Charlemagne, 
who embraced him, and took him into his service. It 
seemed to Duke Namo, and all the elder knights, as 
if they saw in him Ogier himself, as- he was when 
a youth ; and this resemblance won for the lad their 
kind regards. Even Chariot at first seemed to be 
fond of him, though after a while the resemblance to 
Oo-ier which he noticed had the effect to excite his 
hatred. 

Baldwin was attentive to Chariot, and lost no occa- 



OGIER, THE DANE. 349 

sion to be serviceable. The Prince loved to play 
chess, and Baldwin, who played well, often made a 
party with him. 

One day Chariot was nettled at losing two pieces 
in succession ; he thought he could, by taking a piece 
from Baldwin, get some amends for his loss ; but 
Baldwin, seeing him fall into a trap which he had 
set for him, could not help a slight laugh, as he 
said, " Check-mate." Chariot rose in a fury, seized 
the rich and heavy chess-board, and dashed it with all 
his strength on the head of Baldwin, who fell, and 
died where he fell. 

Frightened at his own crime, and fearing the ven- 
geance of the terrible Ogier, Chariot concealed himself 
in the interior of the palace. A young companion 
of Baldwin hastened and informed Ogier of the event. 
He ran to the chamber, and beheld the body of his 
child bathed in blood, and it could not be concealed 
from him that Chariot gave the blow. Transported 
with rage, Ogier sought Chariot through the palace, 
and Chariot, feeling safe nowhere else, took refuge 
in the hall of Charlemagne, where he seated himself 
at table with Duke Namo and Salomon, Duke of 
Brittany. Ogier, with sword drawn, followed him to 
the very table of the Emperor. When a cupbearer 
attempted to bar his way, he struck the cup from 



350 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

his hand and dashed the contents in the Emperor's 
face. Charles rose in a passion, seized a knife, and 
would have plunged it into his breast, had not 
Salomon and another baron thrown themselves be- 
tween, while Namo, who retained his ancient influence 
over Ogier, drew him out of the room. Foreseeing 
the consequences of this violence, pitying Ogier, and 
in his heart excusing him, Namo hurried him away 
before the guards of the palace could arrest him, 
made him mount his horse, and leave Paris. 

Charlemagne called together his peers, and made 
them take an oath to do all in their power to arrest 
Ogier, and bring him to condign punishment. Ogier 
on his part sent messages to the Emperor, offering to 
give himself up on condition that Chariot should be 
punished for his atrocious crime. The Emperor would 
listen to no conditions, and went in pursuit of Ogier 
at the head of a large body of soldiers. Ogier, on the 
other hand, was warmly supported by many knights, 
who pledged themselves in his defence. The contest 
raged long, with no decisive results. Ogier more than 
once had the Emperor in his power, but declined to 
avail himself of his advantage, and released him with- 
out conditions. He even implored pardon for himself, 
but demanded at the same time the punishment of 
Chariot. But Charlemagne was too blindly fond of his 



OGIER, THE DANE. 351 

unworthy son to subject him to punishment for the 
sake of conciliating one who had been so deeply in- 
jured. 

At length, distressed at the blood which his friends 
had lost in his cause, Ogier dismissed his little army, 
and, slipping away from those who wished to attend 
him, took his course to rejoin the Duke Guy on, his 
brother. On his way, having reached the forest of 
Ardennes, weary with long travel, the freshness of a 
retired valley tempted him to lie down to take some 
repose. He unsaddled Beiffror, relieved himself of his 
helmet, lay down on the turf, rested his head on his 
shield, and slept. 

It so happened that Turpin, who occasionally re- 
called to mind that he was Archbishop of Rheims, 
was at that time in the vicinity, making a pastoral 
visit to the churches under his jurisdiction. But his 
dignity of peer of France, and his martial spirit, 
which caused him to be reckoned among the "preux 
chevaliers " of his time, forbade him to travel without 
as large a retinue of knights as he had of clergymen. 
One of these was thirsty, and knowing the fountain 
on the borders of which Ogier was reposing, he rode 
to it, and was struck by the sight of a knight 
stretched on the ground. He hastened back, and let 
the Archbishop know, who approached the fountain, 
and recognized Ogier. 



352 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

The first impulse of the good and generous Turpin 
was to save his friend, for whom he felt the warmest 
attachment; but his archdeacons and knights, who also 
recognized Ogier, reminded the Archbishop of the oath 
which the Emperor had exacted of them all. Turpin 
could not be false to his oath; but it was not without 
a groan that he permitted his followers to bind the 
sleeping knight. The Archbishop's attendants secured 
the horse and arms of Ogier, and conducted their 
prisoner to the Emperor at Soissons. 

The Emperor had become so much imbittered by 
Ogier's obstinate resistance, added to his original fault, 
that he was disposed to order him to instant death. 
But Turpin, seconded by the good Dukes Namo and 
Salomon, prayed so hard for him, that Charlemagne 
consented to remit a violent death, but sentenced him 
to close imprisonment, under the charge of the Arch- 
bishop, strictly limiting his food to one quarter of a 
loaf of bread per day, with one piece of meat, and a 
quarter of a cup of wine. In this way he hoped to 
quickly put an end to his life without bringing on 
himself the hostility of the King of Denmark, and 
other powerful friends of Ogier. He exacted a new 
oath of Turpin to obey his orders strictly. 

The good Archbishop loved Ogier too well not to 
cast about for some means of saving his life, which 



OGIER, THE DANE. 353 

he foresaw he would soon lose if subjected to such 
scanty fare, for Ogier was seven feet tall, and had 
an appetite in proportion. Turpin remembered, more- 
over, that Ogier was a true son of the Church, always 
zealous to propagate the faith and subdue unbelievers ; 
so he felt justified in practising on this occasion what 
in later times has been entitled " mental reservation," 
without swerving from the letter of the oath which 
he had taken. This is the method he hit upon. 

Every morning he had his prisoner supplied with 
a quarter of a loaf of bread, made of two bushels 
of flour ; to this he added a quarter of a sheep or 
a fat calf, and he had a cup made which held forty 
pints of wine, and allowed Ogier a quarter of it daily. 

Ogier's imprisonment lasted long, Charlemagne was 
astonished to hear, from time to time, that he still 
held out ; and when he inquired more particularly 
of Turpin, the good Archbishop, relying on his own 
understanding of the words, did not hesitate to 
affirm positively that he allowed his prisoner no 
more than the permitted ration. 

We forgot to say that, when Ogier was led pris- 
oner to Soissons, the Abbot of Saint Faron, observ- 
ing the fine horse Beiffror, and not having at the 
time any other favor to ask of Charlemagne, begged 
the Emperor to give him the horse, and had him 



354 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

taken to his abbey. He was impatient to try his new 
acquisition, and, when he had arrived in his litter at 
the foot of the mountain where the horse had been 
brought to meet him, mounted him and rode onward. 
The horse, accustomed to bear the enormous weight 
of Ogier in his armor, when he perceived nothing 
on his back but the light weight of the Abbot, whose 
long robes fluttered against his sides, ran away, 
making prodigious leaps over the steep acclivities 
of the mountain, till he reached the convent of 
Jouaire, where, in sight of the Abbess and her 
nuns, he threw the Abbot, already half dead with 
fright, to the ground. The Abbot, bruised and morti- 
fied, revenged himself on poor BeifPror, whom he con- 
demned, in his wrath, to be given to the workmen 
to drag stones for a chapel that he was building 
near the abbey. Thus, ill-fed, hard-worked, and often 
beaten, the noble horse Beiffror passed the time while 
his master's imprisonment lasted. 

That imprisonment would have been as long as his 
life if it had not been for some important events 
which forced the Emperor to set Ogier at liberty. 

The Emperor learned at the same time, that Cara- 
hue, King of Mauritania, was assembling an army to 
come and demand the liberation of Ogier ; that 
Guy on, King of Denmark, was prepared to second 



OGIER, THE DANE. 355 

the enterprise with all his forces ; and, worse than all, 
that the Saracens, under Bruhier, Sultan of Arabia, 
had landed in Gascony, taken Bordeaux, and were 
marching with all speed for Paris. 

Charlemagne now felt how necessary the aid of 
Ogier was to him. But, in spite of the representa- 
tions of Turpin, Namo, and Salomon, he could not 
bring himself to consent to surrender Chariot to such 
punishment as Ogier should see fit to impose. Be- 
sides, he believed that Ogier was without strength 
and vigor, weakened by imprisonment and long absti- 
nence. 

At this crisis he received a message from Bruhier, 
proposing to put the issue upon the result of a 
combat , between himself and the Emperor or his 
champion ; promising, if defeated, to withdraw his 
army. Charlemagne would willingly have accepted 
the challenge ; but his counsellors all opposed it. 
The herald was therefore told that the Emperor 
would take time to consider his proposition, and give 
his answer the next day. 

It was during this interval that the three Dukes 
succeeded in prevailing upon Charlemagne to pardon 
Ogier, and to send for him to combat the puissant 
enemy who now defied him ; but it was no easy task 
to persuade Ogier. The idea of his long imprison- 



356 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

merit and the recollection of his son, bleeding and 
dying in his arms by the blow of the ferocious Chariot, 
made him long resist the urgency of his friends. 
Though glory called him to encounter Bruhier, and 
the safety of Christendom demanded the destruction 
of this proud enemy of the faith, Ogier only yielded 
at last on condition that Chariot should be delivered 
into his hands to be dealt with as he should 
see fit. 

The terms were hard, but the danger was press- 
ing, and Charlemagne, with a returning sense of 
justice, and a strong confidence in the generous 
though passionate soul of Ogier, at last consented to 
them. 

Ogier was led into the presence of Charlemagne 
by the three peers. The Emperor, faithful to his 
word, had caused Chariot to be brought into the 
hall where the high barons were assembled, his 
hands tied, and his head uncovered. When the 
Emperor saw Ogier approach, he took Chariot by 
the arm, led him towards Ogier, and said these 
words : " I surrender the criminal ; do with him as 
you think fit." Ogier, without replying, seized Char- 
lot by the hair, forced him on his knees, and lifted 
with the other hand his irresistible sword. Charle- 
magne, who expected to see the head of his son roll- 



OGIER, THE DANE. 357 

ing at his feet, shut his eyes and uttered a cry of 
horror. 

Ogier had done enough. The next momont he 
raised Chariot, cut his bonds, kissed him on the 
mouth, and hastened to throw himself at the feet 
of the Emperor. 

Nothing can exceed the surprise and joy of Charle- 
magne at seeing his son unharmed and Ogier kneel- 
ing at his feet. He folded him in his arms, bathed 
him with tears, and exclaimed to his barons, " I 
feel at this moment that Ogier is greater than I." 
As for Chariot, his base soul felt nothing but the 
joy of having escaped death ; he remained such as 
he had been, and it was not till some years after- 
wards he received the punishment he deserved, from 
the hands of Huon of Bordeaux, as we have seen in 
a former chapter. 




OGIER, THE DANE. 

Continued. 

WHEN Charlemagne had somewhat recovered his 
composure, he was surprised to observe that 
Ogier appeared in good case, and had a healthy color 
in his cheeks. He turned to the Archbishop, who 
could not help blushing as he met his eye. " By the 
head of Bertha, my queen," said Charlemagne, " Ogier 
has had good quarters in your castle, my Lord Arch- 
bishop ; but so much the more am I indebted to you." 
All the barons laughed, and jested with Turpin, who 
only said, " Laugh as much as you please, my lords ; 
but for my part I am not sorry to see the arm 



OGIER, THE DANE. 359 

in full rigor that is to avenge ns on the proud 
Saracen." 

Charlemagne immediately despatched his herald, 
accepting the challenge, and appointing the next day 
but one for the encounter. The proud and crafty 
Bruhier laughed scornfully when he heard the reply 
accepting his challenge, for he had a reliance on cer- 
tain resources besides his natural ♦ strength and skill. 
However, he swore by Mahomet to observe the condi- 
tions as proposed and agreed upon. 

Omer now demanded his armor, and it was brought 
to him in excellent condition, for the good Turpin 
had kept it faithfully ; but it was not easy to provide 
a horse for the occasion. Charlemagne had the best 
horses of his stables brought out, except Blanchard, 
his own charter ; but all in vain, the weia;ht of Osier 
bent their backs to the ground. In this embarrass- 
ment the Archbishop remembered that the Emperor 
had given Beiffror to the Abbot of St. Faron, and sent 
off a courier in haste to re-demand him. 

Monks are hard masters, and the one who directed 
the laborers at the abbey had but too faithfully obeyed 
the orders of the Abbot. Poor Beiffror was brought 
back lean, spiritless, and chafed with the harness of 
the vile cart that he had had to draw so long. He 
carried his head down, and trod heavily before Charle- 



360 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

mamie ; but when he heard the voice of Ooier he 
raised his head, he neighed, his eyes flashed, his 
former ardor showed itself by the force with which 
he pawed the ground. Ogier caressed him, and the 
good steed seemed to return his caresses ; Ogier 
mounted him, and Beiffror, proud of carrying his 
master again, leapt and curvetted with all his youth- 
ful vigor. » 

Nothing being now wanted, Charlemagne, at the 
head of his army, marched forth from the city of 
Paris, and occupied the hill of Montmartre, whence 
the view extended over the plain of St. Denis, where 
the battle was to be fought. 

When the appointed day came, the Dukes Namo 
and Salomon, as seconds of Ogier, accompanied him 
to the place marked out for the lists, and Bruhier, 
with two distinguished Emirs, presented himself on 

A 

the other side. 

Bruhier was in high spirits, and jested with his 
friends, as he advanced, upon the appearance of Beif- 
fror. " Is that the horse they presume to match with 
Marchevalle'e, the best steed that ever fed in the vales 
of Mount Atlas?" But now the combatants, having 
met and saluted each other, ride apart, to come to- 
gether in full career. Beiffror flew over the plain, and 
met the adversary more than half-way. The lances 



OGIEE, THE DANE. 361 

of the two combatants were shivered at the shock, and 
Bruhier was astonished to see almost at the same 
instant the sword of Ogier gleaming above his head. 
He parried it w T ith his buckler, and gave Ogier a blow 
on his helmet, who returned it with another, better 
aimed or better seconded by the temper of his blade, 
for it cut aw T ay part of Bruhier's helmet, and with 
it his ear and part of his cheek. Ogier, seeing the 
blood, did not immediately repeat his blow, and Bru- 
hier seized the moment to gallop off on one side. As 
he rode he took a vase of gold which hung at his 
saddle-bow, and bathed with its contents the w r ounded 
part. The blood instantly ceased to flow, the ear and 
the flesh were restored quite whole, and the Dane 
was astonished to see his antagonist return to the 
ground as sound as ever. 

Bruhier laughed at his amazement. " Know," said 
he, " that I possess the precious balm that Joseph of 
Arimathea used upon the body of the crucified one, 
whom you worship. If I should lose an arm, I could 
restore it with a few drops of this. It is useless for 
you to contend w r ith me. Yield yourself, and, as you 
appear to be a strong fellow, I will make you first 
oarsman in one of my galleys." 

Ogier, though boiling with rage, forgot not to im- 
plore the assistance of Heaven. " O Lord," he ex- 

16 



362 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

claimed, " suffer not the enemy of thy name to profit 
by the powerful help of that which owes all its virtue 
to thy divine blood.'' At these words he attacked 
Bruhier again with more vigor than ever; both struck 
terrible blows, and made grievous wounds ; but the 
blood flowed from those of Osier, while Bruhier 
stanched his by the application of his balm. Ogier, 
desperate at the unequal contest, grasped Cortana with 
both hands, and struck his enemy such a blow that it 
cleft his buckler, and cut off his arm with it ; but 
Bruhier at the same time launched one at Ogier, 
which, missing him, struck the head of Beiffror, and 
the good horse fell, and drew down his master in his 
fall. 

Bruhier had time to leap to the ground, to pick 
up his arm and apply his balsam ; then, before Ogier 
had recovered his footing, he rushed forward with 
sword uplifted to complete his destruction. 

Charlemagne, from the height of Montmartre, seeing 
the brave Ogier in this situation, groaned, and was 
ready to murmur against Providence ; but the good 
Turpin, raising his arms, with a faith like that of 
Moses, drew down upon the Christian warrior the favor 
of Heaven. 

Ogier, promptly disengaging himself, pressed Bruhier 
w T ith so much impetuosity that he drove him to a 



OGIEK, THE DANE. 363 

distance from his horse, to whose saddle-bow the 
precious balm was suspended; and very soon Charle- 
magne saw Ogier, now completely in the advantage, 
bring his enemy to his knees, tear off his helmet, and, 
with a sweep of his sword, strike his head from his 
body. 

After the victory, Ogier seized Marchevallee, leaped 
upon his back, and became possessed of the precious 
flask, a few drops from which closed his wounds and 
restored his strength. The French knights who had 
been Bruhier's captives, now released, pressed round 
Ogier to thank him for their deliverance. 

Charlemagne and his nobles, as soon as their atten- 
tion was relieved from the single combat, perceived 
from their elevated position an unusual agitation in the 
enemy's camp. They attributed it at first to the death 
of their general, but soon the noise of arms, the cries 
of combatants, and new standards which advanced, dis- 
closed to them the fact that Bruhier's army was 
attacked by a new enemy. 

The Emperor was right ; it was the brave Carahue 
of Mauritania, who, with an army, had arrived in 
France, resolved to attempt the liberation of Ogier, his 
brother in arms. Learning on his arrival the changed 
aspect of affairs, he hesitated not to render a signal 
service to the Emperor, by attacking the army of 



364 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

Bruhier in the midst of the consternation occasioned 
by the loss of its commander. 

Ogier recognized the standard of his friend, and, 
leaping upon Marchevallee, flew to aid his attack. 
Charlemagne followed with his army ; and the Saracen 
host, after an obstinate conflict, was forced to surrender 
unconditionally. 

The interview of Ogier and Carahue was such as 
might be anticipated of two such attached friends and 
accomplished knights. Charlemagne went to meet them, 
embraced them, and putting the King of Mauritania 
on his right and Ogier on his left, returned with 
triumph to Paris. There the Empress Bertha and 
the ladies of her court crowned them with laurels, 
and the sage and gallant Eginhard, chamberlain and 
secretary of the Emperor, wrote all these great events 
in his history. 

A few days after, Guyon, King of Denmark, arrived 
in France with a chosen band of kniohts, and sent 
an ambassador to Charlemagne, to say that he came, 
not as an enemy, but to render homage to him as 
the best knight of the time and the head of the 
Christian world. Charlemagne gave the ambassador 
a cordial reception, and, mounting his horse, rode 
forward to meet the King of Denmark. 

These great princes, being assembled at the court 



OGIER, THE DANE. 365 

of Charles, held council together, and the ancient 
and sage barons were called to join it. 

It was decided that the united Danish and Mauri- 
tanian armies should cross the sea and carry the war 
to the country of the Saracens, and that a thousand 
French knights should range themselves under the 
banner of Ogier, the Dane, who, though not a king, 
should have equal rank with the two others. 

We have not space to record all the illustrious 
actions performed by Ogier and his allies in this war. 
Suffice it to say, they subdued the Saracens of Ptole- 
mais and Judsea, and, erecting those regions into a 
kingdom, placed the crown upon the head of Ogier. 
Guyon and Carahue then left him, to return to their 
respective dominions. Ogier adopted Walter, the son 
of Guyon of Denmark, to be his successor in his 
kingdom. He superintended his education, and saw 
the young prince grow up worthy of his cares. But 
Ogier, in spite of all the honors of his rank, often 
regretted the court of Charlemagne, the Duke Namo, 
and Salomon of Brittany, for whom he had the re- 
spect and attachment of a son. At last, finding Walter 
old enough to sustain the weight of government, Ogier 
caused a vessel to be prepared secretly, and, attended 
only by one squire, left his palace by night, and 
embarked to return to France. 



366 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

The vessel, driven by a fair wind, cut the sea with 
the swiftness of a bird ; but on a sudden it deviated 
from its course, no longer obeyed the helm, and sped 
fast towards a black promontory which stretched into 
the sea. This was a mountain of loadstone, and, its 
attractive power increasing as the distance diminished, 
the vessel at last flew with the swiftness of an arrow 
towards it, and was dashed to pieces on its rocky 
base. Ogier alone saved himself, and reached the 
shore on a fragment of the wreck. 

Ogier advanced into the country, looking for some 
marks of inhabitancy, but found none. On a sudden 
he encountered two monstrous animals, covered with 
glittering scales, accompanied by a horse breathing 
fire. Ogier drew his sword and prepared to defend 
himself; but the monsters, terrific as they appeared, 
made no attempt to assail him, and the horse, Papil- 
lon, knelt down, and appeared to court Ogier to 
mount upon his back. Ogier hesitated not to see the 
adventure through ; he mounted Papillon, who ran 
with speed, and soon cleared the rocks and precipices 
which hemmed in and concealed a beautiful landscape. 
He continued his course till he reached a magnificent 
palace, and, without allowing Ogier time to admire 
it, crossed a grand court-yard adorned with colonnades, 
and entered a garden, where, making his way through 



OGIER, THE DANE. 367 

alleys of myrtle, he checked his course, and knelt 
down on the enamelled turf of a fountain. 

Ogier dismounted and took some steps along the 
margin of the stream, but was soon stopped by meet- 
ing a young beauty, such as they paint the Graces, 
and almost as lightly attired as they. At the same 
moment, to his amazement, his armor fell off of its 
own accord. The young beauty advanced with a 
tender air, and placed upon his head a crown of 
flowers. At that instant the Danish hero lost his 
memory ; his combats, his glory, Charlemagne and his 
court, all vanished from his mind ; he saw only 
Morgana, he desired nothing but to sigh forever at 
her feet. 

"We abridge the narrative of all the delights which 
Ogier enjoyed for more than a hundred years. Time 
flew by, leaving no impression of its flight. Morgana's 
youthful charms did not decay, and Ogier had none 
of those warnings of increasing years which less- 
favored mortals never fail to receive. There is no 
knowing how long this blissful state might have lasted, 
if it had not been for an accident, by which Morgana 
one day, in a sportive moment, snatched the crown 
from his head. That moment Ogier regained his 
memory, and lost his contentment. The recollection 
of Charlemagne, and of his own relatives and friends, 



368 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

saddened the hours which he passed with Morgana. 
The fairy saw with grief the changed looks of her 
lover. At last she drew from him the acknowledcr- 

o 

ment that he wished to go, at least for a time, to 
revisit Charles's court. She consented with reluctance, 
and with her own hands helped to reinvest him jvvith 
his armor. Papillon was led forth, Ogier mounted 
him, and, taking a tender adieu of the tearful Morgana, 
crossed at rapid speed the rocky belt which separated 
Morgana's palace from the borders of the sea. 

The sea-goblins which had received him at his 
coming awaited him on the shore. One of them took 
Ogier on his back, and the other placing himself 
under Papillon, they spread their broad fins, and in a 
short time traversed the wide space that separates the 
isle of Avalon from France. They landed Ogier on 
the coast of Languedoc, and then plunged into the sea 
and disappeared. 

Ogier remounted on Papillon, who carried him 
across the kingdom almost as fast as he had passed 
the sea. He arrived under the walls of Paris, which 
he would scarcely have recognized if the high towers 
of St. Genevieve had .not caught his eye. He went 
straight to the palace of Charlemagne, which seemed 
to him to have been entirely rebuilt. His surprise 
was extreme, and increased still more on finding that 



OGIEE, THE DANE. 369 

he understood with difficulty the language of the 
guards and attendants in replying to his questions ; 
and seeing them smile as they tried to explain to one 
another the language in which he addressed them. 
Presently the attention of some of the barons who 
wer^ going to court was attracted to the scene, and 
Ogier, who recognized the badges of their rank, ad- 
dressed them, and inquired if the Dukes Namo and 
Salomon were still residing at the Emperor's court. 
At this question the barons looked at one another 
in amazement ; and one of the eldest said to the rest, 
" How much this knight resembles the portrait of my 
grand-uncle, Ogier the Dane." " Ah ! my dear 
nephew, I am Ogier the Dane," said he; and he 
remembered that Morgana had told him that he was 
little aware of the flight of time during his abode 
with her. 

The barons, more astonished than ever, concluded 
to conduct him to the monarch who then reigned, the 
great Hugh Capet. 

The brave Ogier entered the palace without hesi- 
tation ; but when, on reaching the royal hall, the 
barons directed him to make his obeisance to the 
King of France, he was astonished to see a man of 
short stature and large head, whose air, nevertheless, 
was noble and martial, seated upon the throne on 
16* x 



370 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

which he had so often seen Charlemagne, the tallest 
and handsomest sovereign of his time. 

Ogier recounted his adventures with simplicity and 
unaffectedness. Hugh Capet was slow to believe him ; 
but Ogier recalled so many proofs and circumstances, 
that at last he was forced to recognize the aged war- 
rior to be the famous Ogier the Dane. 

The king informed Ogier of the events which had 
taken place during his long absence ; that the line 
of Charlemagne was extinct; that a new dynasty had 
commenced ; that the old enemies of the kingdom, the 
Saracens, were still troublesome ; and that at that 
very tune an army of those miscreants was besieging 
the city of Chartres, to which he was about to repair 
in a few days to its relief. Ogier, always inflamed 
with the love of glory, offered the service of his arm, 
which the illustrious monarch accepted graciously, and 
conducted him to the queen. The astonishment of 
Ogier was redoubled when he saw the new ornaments 
and head-dresses of the ladies ; still, the beautiful hair 
which they built up on their foreheads, and the 
feathers interwoven, which waved with so much grace, 
gave them a noble air that delighted him. His ad- 
miration increased when, instead of the old Empress 
Bertha, he saw a young queen who combined a ma- 
jestic mien with the graces of her time of life, and 



OGIER, THE DANE. 371 

manners candid and charming, suited to attach all 
hearts. Ogier saluted the youthful queen with a re- 
spect so profound that many of the courtiers took him 
for a foreigner, or at least for some nobleman brought 
up at a distance from Paris, who retained the manners 
of what they called the old court. 

When the queen was informed by her husband 
that it was the celebrated Ogier the Dane whom he 
presented to her, whose memorable exploits she had 
often read in the chronicles of antiquity, her surprise 
was extreme, which was increased when she remarked 
the dignity of his address, the animation and even 
the youthfulness of his countenance. This queen had 
too much intelligence to believe hastily ; proof alone 
could compel her assent ; and she asked him many 
questions about the old court of Charlemagne, and 
received such instructive and appropriate answers as 
removed every doubt.' It is to the corrections which 
Ogier was at that time enabled to make to the popu- 
lar narratives of his exploits, that we are indebted for 
the perfect accuracy and trustworthiness of all the 
details of our own history. 

King Hugh Capet, having received that same even- 
ing couriers from the inhabitants of Chartres, inform- 
ing him that they were hard pressed by the besiegers, 
resolved to hasten with Osier to their relief. 



372 LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 

Ogier terminated this affair as expeditiously as he 
had so often done others. The Saracens having dared 
to offer battle, he bore the Oriflamme through the 
thickest of their ranks ; Papillon, breathing fire from 
his nostrils, threw them into disorder, and Cortana, 
wielded by his invincible arm, soon finished their over- 
throw. 

The king, victorious over the Saracens, led back 
the Danish hero to Paris, where the deliverer of 
France received the honors due to his valor. Ogier 
continued some time at the court, detained by the 
favor of the king and queen; but erelong he had 
the pain to witness the death of the, king. Then it 
was that, impressed with all the perfections which he 
had discerned in the queen, he could not withhold 
the tender homage of the offer of his hand. The 
queen would perhaps have accepted it, she had even 
called a meeting of her great barons to deliberate on 
the proposition, when, the day before the meeting was 
to be held, at the moment when Ogier was kneeling at 
her feet, she perceived a crown of gold which an invisi- 
ble hand had placed on his brow, and in an instant a 
cloud enveloped Ogier, and he disappeared forever 
from her sight. It was Morgana, the fairy, whose 
jealousy was awakened at what she beheld, who now 
resumed her power, and took him away to dwell with 



OGIEE, THE DANE. 373 

her in the island of Avalon. There, in company with 
the great King Arthur of Britain, he still lives, and 
when his illustrious friend shall return to resume his 
ancient reign, he will doubtless return with him, and 
share his triumph. 



THE END. 



Cambridge : Stereotyped and Printed by Welch, Bigelow, & Co. 



